Collaborating to Improve Long-term Well-being
The connection between housing insecurity and substance use health is well known. Supporting people’s needs with whole-of-health approaches increases their chances of long-term well-being. This includes considering mental, physical, social and substance use health (SUH) factors.
Recognizing this, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) connected with us to collaborate on ways to better incorporate SUH into Housing First practices.
What is Housing First?
Housing First is an approach that provides housing as the first step, in combination with supportive services, to people who are homeless and have mental health issues. It is based on the idea that the first and most primary need for people is stable shelter, and that other issues a person has can be addressed once they have a place to live.
Housing First is recovery-oriented and client choice is at the centre. Unlike traditional emergency shelters or transitional housing, it provides immediate access to permanent housing.
Originating in New York City (Pathways to Housing), it is an evaluated approach that provides immediate access to both permanent, independent housing through rent subsidies and mental health supports such as Assertive Community Treatment or Intensive Case Management.
Housing First is guided by three principles:
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Free choice
Professionals help participants decide where they want to live. Research shows that 84 per cent of people who are homeless want to live independently in regular housing like everyone else. Rent supplements give people the means to access this kind of housing.
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Recovery
Recovery is a treatment objective that refers to a participant’s journey of growth and self-improvement to achieving life satisfaction. Pursuing one’s hopes and goals, finding meaning and purpose, while managing one’s mental illness and/or addictions, are all part of recovery.
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Community Integration
People with mental illness who are homeless often experience segregation, exclusion and stigma. The Housing First model separates housing from support, so people live independently in apartments in different areas of the community. Staff are not present onsite, nor are participants congregated in one building with other participants. This way reduces stigma and does not single out people with mental illness.
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Integrating Substance Use Health into Housing First Principles
To develop strong solutions for better incorporating substance use health into Housing First practices, CAMH and CCSA are focusing on three core components:
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Funding & Sustainability
- Secure funding to hire/retain qualified staff to provide services
- Secure, consistent, coordinated funding to continue to hire and qualified staff for the long term
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Policy & Structural Changes
- Develop and standardize best practices for substance use health in Housing First
- Foster collaborative and supportive relationships with landlords
- Create guidelines to balance the well-being of individuals with different substance use preferences
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Enhanced Service Delivery
- Provide people with access to interdisciplinary care teams and coordinated services
- Provide integrated care for concurrent mental health and substance use health concerns
- Provide people with access to the full spectrum of SUH services and supports
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Guidance, Tools and Resources
CCSA produces research-based publications, tools, and resources to support evidence-based decision-making on substance use health issues. Select your area of interest from the six categories below:
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Substances
Delve into key resources on commonly used substances, such as alcohol, cannabis, opioids, stimulants and psychedelics. Learn about their effects, usage patterns, associated health and social consequences, and harm reduction considerations
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Personal and Societal Impacts
Get insights on the personal and societal impacts of substance use and addiction , including gambling and impaired driving, and their effects on health, safety, and social well-being. Learn about effective prevention and harm-reduction strategies in various sectors.
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Communities
Communities share common interests, values or goals, and interact with one another to build relationships and help networks. These materials support more inclusive, equitable, and community-informed responses to substance use and addiction. Dive into resources highlighting people with lived and living experience, stigma, sex- and gender-based analysis, Indigenous Peoples, and housing.
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Treatment and Prevention
Explore medical, psychological, and social approaches aimed at helping individuals avoid or recover from substance use disorders. Get the facts on public health topics and learn about collaborative efforts to reduce stigma and promote more equitable, inclusive responses to substance use.
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Youth
Learn about factors influencing substance use in young people, including childhood trauma and brain development, and get tools to support adult allies in leading meaningful, evidence-informed conversations with youth. Content promotes early prevention, harm reduction and supportive environments for youth up to age 25.
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Substance Use and the Workplace
Substance use has a significant impact on the workplace, potentially affecting safety, productivity and employee well-being. Explore research on substance use in various industries. Resources support workplace leaders in building more supportive, stigma-free environments through practical strategies, improved approaches and initiative-taking education.
