nl housing and homelessness network conference - 2015
TRANSCRIPT
NL Housing and Homelessness Network
Conference - 2015
Background
‣ Bluebook 2011 Commitment
‣ In January 2012 NLHC began work to commission the study
‣ Nation-wide RFP
‣ OrgCode Consulting Inc was the successful proponent; they were asked to:
Estimate the homeless population
Make recommendations on the provincial response
Estimates
Defining Homelessness
‣ Sheltered Homeless
“In Newfoundland and Labrador, a person is homeless if they are admitted to a homeless or domestic violence shelter, or seek housing crisis/emergency shelter services from a front line homeless worker”
‣ Unsheltered Homeless (eg: street homelessness, rough sleepers)
‣ Hidden Homeless (eg: couch surfers)
Over the Course of 2012‣ 1,685 individuals required emergency shelter
(this includes domestic violence shelters)
‣ 141 Individuals experienced unsheltered homelessness (people living on streets, in wooded areas, etc..)
‣ 3,743 individuals experienced hidden homelessness (temporarily living with friends or relatives)
o 5,569 Persons in Total
Regionally (Sheltered Homeless)Region
St. John’s 854Rural Avalon 154
Burin 124Clarenville & Gander 114Grand Falls- Windsor 34
Stephenville 92Corner Brook- St.
Anthony143
Labrador 170Total 1,685
Recommendations
Causes of Homelessness in NLHomelessness normally occurs when several of these causes come together:
‣ Structural (eg: discrimination based on age, mental health, sexual orientation)
‣ System Gaps and Barriers (eg: persons with no fixed address being discharged from health or corrections)
‣ Individual Circumstances (eg: trauma, domestic violence, compromised mental health, substance abuse)
Characteristics
Effecting Change – Traditional Response
Effecting Change – Housing First Response
Themes1. System Integration
• Provincial endorsement of approach.
• System transformation from independent departments and programs to an integrated system of care focused on housing stability.
• NLHC provide the leadership required to end homelessness.
2. Homelessness Prevention
• Strategic initiatives and investments to prevent people from entering into the homeless system.
Themes3. Housing and Support Programming
• Use a triage approach to end homelessness to match the right intervention to need.
• Focus resources on the chronically homeless population through a Housing First method.
4. Information sharing and Performance Management• Implement an integrated data system for service
providers.
• The data system will facilitate improved service delivery, identify investment priorities and allow for monitoring of progress.
What’s Next?
Steering Committee
‣ Struck when the report was released
‣ An additional layer of consultation
‣ Short Term
‣ Mandate:
o Consider impact on creating bureaucracy
o Consider rural and urban impacts
o Report back to the Minister with advice on recommendations to be “adopted as is”; “adopted with modifications” or “rejected”