Homelessness has become an important social and political issue over the past 10 years. Ten thousand Canadians are homeless on any given night. Homeless people suffer more from physical and mental illness, substance abuse issues and tend to die earlier than the general public. The street homeless population, compared to the hidden homeless, is the most challenging homeless group to work with because of their complex needs and their minimal use of shelters, health-care facilities and social service agencies.

Addressing the Needs of the Street Homeless: A Collaborative Approach was published in the International Journal of Mental Health Volume 39, Issue 1 in 2010.