New HRC Knowledgebase Articles

A kitchen in Sudbury

3/10/2010

Talk of economic recovery rings hollow in northen Ontario, where Sister Marie is part of a concerted effort to protect Sudbury's most vulnerable citizens from the fallout of the crisis.

Rewriting the script

3/10/2010

As the global recession plays out smalltown Quebec, the volunteer team behind a community arts centre must make revisions to their gameplan.

Soul Food

3/10/2010

"Nobody thinks less of you here if you’re unemployed." A community garden provides more than inexpensive food in Rosemont, a Montreal neighbourhood where the crisis has cut deep.

Where everybody knows your name

3/10/2010

A hot meal, a few laughs, a friendly crowd - a Montreal drop-in centre offers company and simple comforts to the inhabitants of a recession-weary neighbourhood.

Class consciousness

3/10/2010

Fresh out of teachers college – just in time for the Great Recession - Alison engages her students at Dr Norman Bethune Collegiate in a playful but pointed lesson on the distribution of wealth in Canada.

Eric & Sons

3/10/2010

"As a man, it's hard to admit I need help," says Eric, a single dad raising two boys in the midst of a crisis that's hitting men with particular severity.

Nouveau Poor

3/10/2010

Suddenly and without warning, Yves lost his good-paying job and the lifestyle that went with it - joining the growing ranks of Canada's new poor.

The Story of Human Rights

3/10/2010

A striking short film defining one of the world's most misunderstood subjects: human rights.

Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, Raquel Rolnik

3/10/2010

The present report, submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 6/27, is the annual report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context. In the report, the Special Rapporteur discusses the impact of major international sports events (mega-events) on the realization of the right to adequate housing, in particular, the positive and negative legacy of hosting the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. She provides an overview of the practices and procedures of the International Olympic Committee and International Association of Football Federations, especially on their bidding and selection process for host cities and countries. In addition, she offers some insights on the role played by sponsors, as well as some examples of positive and negative practices of host cities and countries. In her conclusion, the Special Rapporteur urges States to uphold their human rights obligations when organizing such mega-events and addresses some specific recommendations to States, the International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Football Federations.

Invisible City

3/10/2010

In the inner-city housing project of Toronto's Regent Park, Kendell and Mikey, like their surroundings are in the process of transformation; the environment and social pressure tempting them to make poor choices, their mothers and mentors rooting for them to succeed. Turning his camera on the often ignored inner city, Academy-award nominated director Hubert Davis sensitively depicts the disconnection of urban poverty and race from the mainstream.

Men for Sale

3/10/2010

Men for Sale follows eleven sex-trade workers over the course of a year, recounting their struggles to survive alcohol and drug-related addictions, abuse and stigmatization – and, their troubled pasts. Trapped in a vicious circle of prostitution and drug, they pursue their hardscrabble lives, knowing their prospects for the future are dim. An unflinching portrait with neither voyeurism nor false sympathy, Men for Sale acknowledges those society prefers to ignore.

On the streets / The drama of their lives

3/10/2010

"On the streets". Voices of homeless people living on the streets; a mother throws her rebellious daughter out of the house, years later, they talk; a former prostitute's story of survival on the streets of Calgary and Vancouver; a woman on a downtown street comes across a former work colleague who had fallen on hard times. Also; "The drama of their lives", a group of street youth try to get their lives back on track by creating and performing a play where the script comes directly out of their own experience.

Homelessness among At-Risk Families with Children in Twenty American Cities

3/10/2010

This article uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study to explore the characteristics and determinants of homelessness among families with children. These unique data permit the examination of a large set of individual-, household-, and city-level risk factors that may influence homelessness. Results suggest that homelessness is strongly linked to informal and institutional social support. It is only modestly associated with local housing and labor market conditions. These results suggest that the greatest potential for reducing family homelessness lies in interventions, such as low-income housing assistance, that are designed to strengthen informal and institutional social support among low-income mothers. Policies designed to alter local housing and labor market conditions are unlikely to reduce substantially the risk of this pressing social problem.

Individual characteristics of the literally homeless, marginally housed, and impoverished in a US substance abuse treatment-seeking sample

3/10/2010

BACKGROUND: Many researchers and clinicians believe that understanding substance use problems is key to understanding homelessness. This study's purpose was to test, in a national sample of urban substance abuse treatment seekers, whether (1) income was related to amount of money spent on substances and (2) homeless chronic substance users had more severe psychosocial problems or histories than housed chronic substance users. METHOD: Questions assessing homelessness were inserted into the Drug Evaluation Network System-a computer-assisted intake interview (including the Addiction Severity Index) implemented in addiction treatment programs across the U.S. Based on these data, clients were divided into four residential groups: literally homeless (n = 654), marginally housed (n = 1138), housed poor (n = 3119), and housed not poor (n = 718). Income, human capital (education level and acquisition of a trade/skill), substance use, mental health, and social support were examined. RESULTS: The literally homeless was not the poorest group, although these clients did spend the most money on substances. All four groups' incomes were positively related to amount of money spent on drugs, but only the marginally housed's income was related to money spent on alcohol. The literally homeless had the most severe alcohol, mental health, and social support problems. The literally homeless and marginally housed had similar incomes and human capital and the most severe cocaine problems. In general the housed poor and housed not poor fared better than the literally homeless and marginally housed groups. DISCUSSION: Practitioners should continue to intervene with the homeless and consider working with the marginally housed's social support systems. Future research should examine the marginally housed as an at-risk group for homelessness.

Anybody’s couch: Understanding the lives, health and service needs of York region youth

3/10/2010

OBJECTIVES To explore the lives, life trajectories, health, capacities and service needs of street involved youth in York Region aged 1621. To highlight and build from an already strong existence of “Pockets of Provision” in York Region in order to identify what exists and what is needed. To provide youthdriven identification, planning and development of services that address needs, capacities, and particular risks. To explore the needs of parents of street involved youth Through service provision, public awareness, and consultations with youth, parents and serviceproviders, we seek to reduce harm, protect dignity, and embrace York Region street involved youth as full and active citizens, capable of making decisions that affect their quality of life and future.

Developing homelessness prevention practice: combining research evidence and professional knowledge.

3/10/2010

This paper presents recommendations of three kinds for the development of homelessness prevention: for practice changes, for the concerted development of evidence on the effectiveness of different measures, and for a more systematic approach to the identification and dissemination of good practice. The recommendations were developed through consultation with health-care, social service and housing provider staff. They were asked to comment on the results of a study of 131 newly homeless people, which showed that there were five prevalent 'packages of reasons' that created distinctive 'pathways' into homelessness and concluded that some cases were preventable. This article outlines the principles of homelessness prevention and recent British policy initiatives in the field, summarises the research methodology and relevant findings, and describes the consultation. The final section discusses the discrepancy between the high priority that homelessness prevention currently receives and the primitiveness of both the evidence base and the arrangements for good practice dissemination.

A comparison of homeless and domiciled young people

3/9/2010

There is growing concern about the welfare of the substantial number of young people who are homeless in the UK. A sample of young people living in homeless hostels in Birmingham is compared with one derived from a private household survey carried out in the same city. Sociodemographic details along with information on mental health, substance use and service uptake were ascertained. The homeless sample were younger and more likely to be male than their domiciled counterparts. They had more often spent time in institutional child care and had worse educational records and lower levels of employment. Young people who were homeless had greater involvement with the police, more frequently used illicit drugs and reported worse physical and mental health than those in private households. They were equally likely to see a general practitioner and more often consulted for 'nerves' as well as having a higher rate of contact with mental health professionals. The bearing these findings have on how to tackle youth homelessness are discussed.

A comparison of the needs of homeless and never homeless patients with psychiatric

3/9/2010

Although the large number of people with psychotic disorders who are homeless has triggered the development of targeted outreach services, it is uncertain whether, aside from their social circumstances, the needs of these patients differ from those of their residentially stable counterparts. A matched case control study of homeless and never homeless patients with psychotic disorders is reported ( n = 39 pairs). Patients were recruited from psychiatric services and data collected through interviews with patients and their key workers as well as a review of their case notes. Homeless patients were more symptomatic and behaviourally disturbed than controls. They were significantly more likely to have a criminal history and to be identified by key workers as having problems related to substance use. Homeless patients were less likely to have been born in Birmingham and to have ongoing contact with childhood carers but despite being less aware of the need for treatment, uptake of psychiatric care was comparable with that of controls. The implications for the development of dedicated mental health services for this population are discussed.

Aging and homelessness

3/9/2010

Aging homeless persons have been largely neglected in the gerontological and homeless literature. This article presents an overview of homelessness and aging within the context of a testable, provisional model for explaining homelessness in this population. The author proposes 16 individual and 5 structural and programmatic variables that contribute to the etiology and sustenance of homelessness among aging persons.

Homeless Careers: A Framework for Intervention

3/9/2010

Abstract The present paper identifies three 'homeless careers' abstracted from the diversity and complexity of individual cases and pathways. These are the 'youth career', the 'housing crisis career' and the 'family breakdown career'. The paper discusses the usefulness of the career typology for framing interventions. A core argument is that early intervention involves different forms of practice in each pathway. For young people, early intervention has to occur when they are at the 'in-and-out' stage, before they have made a permanent break from family. For adults experiencing housing crisis, early intervention is about providing assistance to people before they lose their accommodation. The family breakdown career commonly involves domestic violence, so although early intervention may involve family reconciliation, in many cases it involves supporting victims of domestic violence to move to alternative, secure accommodation.

Affordable Housing In Ontario Gets A $1.2 Billion Boost

3/9/2010

The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario are partnering on a joint investment to build new and renovate existing affordable housing.

Federal and provincial ministers to jointly address homelessness in Ontario

3/9/2010

The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services for Ontario, today announced a federal-provincial Memorandum of Understanding on homelessness.

Ontario Increases Minimum Wage

3/8/2010

Ontario is raising the minimum wage to $10.25 on March 31, 2010. This is the seventh increase since 2004.

Homeless shelters should be safe sanctuary, activists say

3/8/2010

Women’s and refugee rights groups are demanding homeless shelters be declared safe sanctuary from removal enforcement officials, who recently entered a Toronto shelter looking for a Ghanaian woman in hiding.

ACCENT:Young and on their own - Mental illness plagues Sudbury's homeless

3/8/2010

Sudbury has seen a lot of rain in 2009. While troublesome for many residents, it was a source of fear for James Cannon. After being evicted from his apartment for playing music too loudly, smoking indoors and being generally unruly and disruptive, Cannon spent three months living at the Salvation Army shelter.

Building Visible Communities

3/8/2010

Michael Maltzan is an architect who has worked with The Skid Row Housing Trust in Los Angeles to design permanent supportive housing. He believes that innovative design will help change the way people think about homelessness. Michael designed the Carver Apartments, which offer 95 units of permanent supportive housing for older, formerly homeless adults with physical disabilities and chronic medical conditions. The design of the Carver Apartments fosters interaction, community, and support.

Recovery and Disclosure: Q&A with Virginia O’Keefe, Founder of Amethyst, Inc.

3/8/2010

Virginia O’Keeffe is a founding member of Amethyst, Inc, a program for women in recovery. Amethyst offers gender-specific, trauma-informed treatment and services. Virginia is open and honest about her own recovery from substance use. She shares that she grew up in a household that could have been “the poster child for the addictive dysfunctional family.” It also became a home that was a place of healing after her father entered recovery. Now, she shares her own recovery story to help change the public face of women in recovery and to combat the stigma associated with addiction.

Overcoming Obstacles to Housing: Working with Consumers and Landlords

3/8/2010

Provider Content Network member Bobbi Jo Evans shares her insights on how to help clients overcome some of the most common obstacles to housing. She gives practical tips on helping consumers to locate and obtain housing.

A Family of Any Kind: Supporting Families and Children Transitioning Beyond Homelessness

3/8/2010

Kelly Brooks shares her thoughts on her work with families as an intensive case manager, and what she has learned about supporting parents at Saranam since the birth of her own daughter. Saranam is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and provides transitional housing, education, and supportive services to help parents and children transition beyond homelessness.

Prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders among homeless and low-income housed mothers.

3/8/2010

Objective: This study compared the prevalence of DSM-III-R disorders among homeless and low-income housed mothers with the prevalence of these disorders among all women in the National Comorbidity Survey. Method: The authors used an unmatched case-control design for assessing 220 homeless and 216 housed mothers receiving public assistance. Results: Homeless and housed mothers had similar rates of psychiatric and substance use disorders. Both groups had higher lifetime and current rates of major depression and substance abuse than did all women in the National Comorbidity Survey. Both groups also had high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and two or more lifetime conditions. Conclusions: The prevalence of trauma-related disorders among poor women was higher than that among women in the general population. Programs and policies designed for low-income mothers must respond to the high prevalence of DSM-III-R disorders.

Social and economic hardships of homeless and other poor women.

3/8/2010

Homeless women generally face the same social and economic problems as do men but in an intensified form due to the social marginalization of women and the responsibilities of parenthood, often borne by women alone. Remedies that entail changes in public policy and the enhancement of social-support networks are discussed.

Youth homelessness in San Francisco: a life cycle approach.

3/8/2010

HIV risk behaviours and seroprevalence are particularly high among street youth. Though many programmes have been designed to serve them, street youth have low rates of service utilization. The aim of this street-based, ethnographic project was to study the social and cultural context of street life in this population. Data were collected by participant observation, exploratory interviews and semi-structured interviews. In total, 20 street youths (15–23 years old; six female), recruited from street sites in San Francisco, participated in the interviews. Field notes and transcriptions were analysed using an inductive technique for model building. This analysis yielded a proposed model of the life cycle of youth homelessness. In the ‘first on the street’ stage, youth face an intense psychological feeling of ‘outsiderness’, and an urgency to meet basic needs. These stresses either lead to an escape from street life or to a process of acculturation to the street. ‘Initiation to the street’ is facilitated by ‘street mentors’, who provide youths with survival skills. In the ‘stasis’ stage, youths reach a tenuous equilibrium in which they can meet their basic needs. A strong ‘street ethic’ allows youth to rationalize significant conflicts and frequent physical suffering. Youth in stasis are repeatedly thrown into ‘disequilibrium’, crises that frequently cause them to come into greater contact with mainstream society. After repeated episodes of disequilibrium, some youth ‘extricate’ themselves from street life, finding a new identity in mainstream society. Otherwise, youth return to the street, in an episode of ‘recidivism’. The life cycle model suggests that street youth who are most open to intervention are those who are in ‘transitional states’, i.e. those who have just arrived on the street or those who are in crisis (disequilibrium). If this model is validated in a larger population of youth, programmes that are aimed at these two stages in the life cycle could potentially effectively complement existing programmes, which are usually focused on youth in stasis.

The duration of homelessness: evidence from a national survey

3/8/2010

This paper provides evidence on the determinants of the duration of homelessness. We use newly available data from a large-scale, comprehensive microeconomic survey to estimate a parametric survival model of the length of a spell of homelessness. We find that homeless spells are longer for persons with certain demographic characteristics (such as older men) and behavioral histories (for example, previous incarceration and a history of drug and alcohol abuse). Our results suggest that current eligibility criteria for receiving housing assistance, which give preference to drug-free, single women with young children, are unlikely to reduce homelessness substantially and in a cost-effective manner.

Characteristics of homeless women with dependent children: A controlled study.

3/8/2010

This chapter discusses homeless families headed by single women.

Interview with Arlene Hache

3/5/2010

Arlene Hache has 25 years experience providing front-line advocacy support to Aboriginal and Inuit women and their families living in northern, remote communities.

Estrangement factors associated with addiction to alcohol and drugs among homeless youth in three U.S. cities

3/4/2010

Substance use is highly prevalent among homeless, street-involved young people. Societal estrangement is often associated with substance use, particularly among this population. The current study sought to identify four domains of social estrangement (disaffiliation, human capital, identification with homeless culture, and psychological dysfunction) in relation to alcohol and drug addiction. Homeless young adults were recruited from three disparate urban areas: Los Angeles, CA (n = 50), Austin, TX (n = 50) and St. Louis, MO (n = 46) using comparable research methods and measurement instruments. Findings demonstrated that variables measuring psychological dysfunction and homeless culture predicted alcohol addiction, while institutional disaffiliation and homeless culture predicted drug addiction. Findings affirm distinct patterns of estrangement related to alcohol compared to drug addiction. Understanding these features and the heterogeneity of this population has strong potential for assisting development of programs targeting substance use among this underserved population.

Risk factors for Long-term Homelessness: Findings from a longitudinal study of first-time homeless single adults

3/4/2010

Objectives. We examined risk factors for long-term homelessness among newly homeless men and women who were admitted to New York City shelters in 2001 and 2002. Methods. Interviews were conducted with 377 study participants upon entry into the shelter and at 6-month intervals for 18 months. Standardized assessments of psychiatric diagnosis, symptoms, and coping skills; social and family history; and service use were analyzed. Kaplan—Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to examine the association between baseline assessments and duration of homelessness. Results. Eighty-one percent of participants returned to community housing during the follow-up period; the median duration of homelessness was 190 days. Kaplan—Meier survival analysis showed that a shorter duration of homelessness was associated with younger age, current or recent employment, earned income, good coping skills, adequate family support, absence of a substance abuse treatment history, and absence of an arrest history. Cox regression showed that older age group P<.05) and arrest history (P<.01) were the strongest predictors of a longer duration of homelessness. Conclusions. Identification of risk factors for long-term homelessness can guide efforts to reduce lengths of stay in homeless shelters and to develop new preventive interventions.

Major mental illness, housing, and supports: The promise of community integration

3/4/2010

Providing housing and supports for people with psychiatric disabilities, particularly those who are homeless, is a major public policy challenge. Summarizes ways in which the concept of these needs is rapidly shifting in the mental health field. This population is increasingly seen as capable of full-community participation and integration.

What will it take to end homelessness?

3/4/2010

This brief is based on a new Urban Institute Press book, Helping America’s Homeless: Emergency Shelter or Affordable Housing? by Urban Institute researchers Martha Burt, Laudan Y. Aron, and Edgar Lee, with Jesse Valente. Both publications were funded mainly by the Melville Charitable Trust and the Fannie Mae Foundation.

Comparison of outcomes for clients seeking and assigned to supported

3/4/2010

As part of state-supported interventions to reduce risk of rehospitalization, seriously disabled psychiatric patients who had been involuntarily hospitalized twice in the previous three years were assigned to receive supported housing services in an Oregon community. Compared with 22 voluntary clients in the same supported housing program, the 21 involuntary (assigned) clients rated higher on risk factors such as history of suicide attempts, self-neglect, homelessness, and medication noncompliance, The involuntary clients showed a much higher utilization of supported housing services and case management, psychiatric, and shelter services during the nine months after entry into the program, and they had a higher one-year rehospitalization rate. However, they used substantially fewer inpatient days in the six months after entry in the program than in the six months before.

Cultural and Linguistic Competence

3/4/2010

This National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) web page provides a number of links to cultural and linguistic competence resources found on the NHCHC website.

LU to study poverty issues in North

3/4/2010

As affordable housing remains scarce and social agencies that serve the homeless continue scrambling for funds, it may be difficult to fathom spending $2.4 million on research about poverty, homelessness and migration issues in Northern Ontario.

Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Celebrate New Affordable Housing in Prince Albert

3/4/2010

MP Randy Hoback, Member of Parliament for Prince Albert on behalf of Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with Prince Albert-Carlton MLA Darryl Hickie, on behalf of Social Services Minister and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation Donna Harpauer and Prince Albert Mayor Jim Scarrow today announced support for a local housing initiative.

Olympic Tent Village gives homeless of Vancouver respite away from glitter of the Games

3/4/2010

Sometimes you just get a little tired of the glitter of the Olympics, so you start walking, just for the sake of finding out what’s around the next corner.

Spending Vancouver's new Olympic capital

3/4/2010

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson heads east to Ottawa this week, to spend some of the political capital that he and the city have amassed during the successful run of the 2010 Games. On his shopping list: a national housing strategy to help Vancouver's homeless, and greater funding for transit, both from the federal and B.C. governments.

Canada win over US marred by protests

3/4/2010

Canada's homeless activists have taken advantage of the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics to take to streets of downtown Vancouver and raise awareness about the dire need for social housing.

Physical and sexual violence in the lives of homeless women.

3/3/2010

The majority of the women in this study had been physically or sexually assaulted; overwhelmingly, this happened in their own homes, at the hands of a close relative, usually a father or step-father, and prior to becoming homeless. Even for the minority of women who were assaulted after becoming homeless, the assailant usually was not a stranger and the location not a public place. Although repeated incidents of assault were the rule rather than the exception, very few of the women who had been assaulted by their father or step-father while living at home, were later assaulted by a husband, common-law partner, or boyfriend. These findings support other research which discredit the myth that abused women set themselves up for further abuse. The findings also seem to indicate that dealing with the problem of family violence should be part of any policy dealing with women's homelessness.

Helping the homeless: Program evaluation of Philadelphia’s supportive housing program.

3/3/2010

The objective of this research was to determine the clinical effectiveness of the Supportive Housing Project of Philadelphia. This project targeted homeless individuals with diagnoses of severe mental illnesses. Three community behavioral health centers provided clinical supports for 122 clients across a five-year time frame (1997 – 2001). This research sought to address two questions. First, did participants show progress toward achieving program outcome goals? Second, could systematic predictors of improvement (or lack of improvement) be identified? The design of the program evaluation was that of time-series reflexive controls. This is analogous to a repeated measure design using hierarchical random regression. Assessments were completed by case managers each month and by trained evaluators each quarter. The assessment points for each client were fitted to a curve, and the growth trajectories were examined to determine program success as measured by the individuals’ rates of change (or slopes). Specifically three definitions of success were defined for interpretation of the slopes (rates of change). It was found that this program as implemented was successful in helping the homeless. Using the most stringent definition of success, the following results were found. Housing Stability was achieved for 84% of the clients Management of psychiatric symptoms was achieved for 80% of the clients Attainment of adult living skills was achieved for 73% of the clients Socialization goals were met for 72% of the clients Quality of life goals were met for 54% of the clients Predictors of individual differences in growth trajectories were examined to determine their potential impact on the rate of change. Predictors included: demographic variables, baseline measure and length of stay, complexity and severity of illnesses, customer satisfaction, and compliance with treatment. The baseline measure (as represented by the intercept) was predictive of the growth rate across all measures. Substance abuse history was a significant correlate of housing instability. Modest correlations were found for other predictors. Recommendations are offered to improve the success of supportive housing programs, and for further research in this area.

Capacity for survival: Exploring strengths of homeless street youth

3/3/2010

The majority of research on homeless youth has focused on the multitude of problems faced by this vulnerable population. The current study, while acknowledging the hazards of life on the streets, seeks to explore the personal strengths and informal resources street youth rely on to navigate their environments. Qualitative data from seven focus groups conducted with street youth ages 18–24 were analyzed using content analysis. These data, rich with interactions among youth participants, highlight three important themes: developing “street smarts,” existence of personal strengths, and informal resources relied upon by youth to survive. Results provide valuable insights into the strengths of homeless youth that can be useful to providers in assessing street youths’ service needs and increasing the likelihood of long-term positive outcomes.

Councillor still waiting for new homeless shelter

3/3/2010

The original $5-million price tag for a new 40-bed homeless shelter has doubled, and construction delays have pushed back its opening by several months.

While Canada Celebrates, Activists Keep Attention On Vancouver's Homeless

3/3/2010

As another gold medal rose off the stick of Sidney Crosby in Team Canada's 3-2 overtime win over Team USA in Men's Hockey, the nation of Canada celebrated a gold medal that they had been favored to win since the Winter Games began. Many in Vancouver, however, were not watching the game, but trying to keep attention on Canada's unseen residents: the homeless.

The psychosocial proﬁle of adolescent risk of homelessness.

3/3/2010

Objective: To contrast the psychosocial profile of adolescents with risk factors for homelessness, identified using Chamberlain and MacKenzie’s self-report scale, compared to the profiles of homeless adolescents. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted contrasting profiles for (a) 137 homeless adolescents, (b) 766 secondary students reporting risk factors for homelessness, and (c) 4,844 students not reporting risks for homelessness. Results: Fourteen percent of a representative population of at-school adolescents, from Victoria, Australia, showed elevated risk of homelessness. These adolescents showed depressive symptoms at least equivalent to homeless adolescents (RR 6.0, 95% CI: 4.9, 7.3, and RR 3.5, 95% CI: 2.1, 5.8, respectively). In multivariate analyses, homeless and at risk adolescents reported equivalent levels of family conflict, early problem behaviour and low opportunities and rewards for family involvement. Compared to adolescents not at risk, at risk adolescents were more likely to be female and to show poorer social skills/assertiveness and depressive symptoms. Compared to at risk adolescents, homeless adolescents showed additional family, school, peer and individual risks, but lower depressive symptomatology. Conclusions: The findings highlight the potential we have to quickly and simply detect adolescents showing significant risk of homelessness. This sizable minority of adolescents report risks often equivalent to homeless adolescents. It is hoped that stakeholders working with young people will utilise this screening potential to identify and intervene effectively with this significant subpopulation of youth, and their families, while they are still at home and school.

LGBTQ Homeless

3/3/2010

LGBTQ stands for lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning. LGBT persons often have great difficulty finding shelters that accept and respect them. (Author)

National Alliance to End Homelessness: Youth

3/3/2010

The National Alliance to End Homelessness' (NAEH) website features a Youth Policy Focus Area which provides a wealth of resources related to homeless youth.

Youth Gangs and Violence

3/3/2010

Although once thought to be an inner-city problem, gang violence has spread to communities throughout the United States. At last count, there were more than 24,500 different youth gangs around the country, and more than 772,500 teens and young adults were members of gangs. (Author)

Health and Health Needs of Homeless and Runaway Youth

3/3/2010

Runaway and homeless adolescents are youth who live without the support of traditional societal structures, such as family, school, church, and community institutions. (Author)

IGLUTAQ (in my room): The implications of homelessness for Inuit

3/2/2010

A case study of housing and homelessness in Kinngait, Nunavut Territory.

USICH Preventing and Ending Homelessness Interactive Forum

3/2/2010

Have your voice heard as the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness is developed! USICH has launched a new interactive website called USICH Preventing and Ending Homelessness - fsp.uservoice.com. This is one element of the transparent process of developing the Federal Strategic Plan.

No Games glamour in Vancouver's Tent City

3/2/2010

Squatters protest against homelessness in Downtown Eastside.

Troubled housing agency gets new chief

3/2/2010

Keiko Nakamura has been named CEO of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Seen today in a building built as part of the Regent Park revitalization project.

Tapping Canada's urban breadbasket

3/2/2010

On a clear day, you can see one-third of Canada's class-one farmland from the top of the CN Tower. You can also see a city in which one out of every 10 families can't afford to eat properly and one out of every three children is overweight or obese.

Fiorito: Nasty book aims at homeless

3/2/2010

There is a nasty little book making the rounds, a graphic novel of sorts, consisting of a series of caricatures of some of Toronto's street people.

'Unofficial official' pins raise money for homeless

3/2/2010

A local social entrepreneur is cashing in on the Olympic pin craze by launching a trading pin designed to raise money for Vancouver's street magazine.

Initiative calls for Olympic-style planning to solve homelessness

3/2/2010

Dozens of people lined the sidewalk of East Hastings Street on Wednesday to declare that homelessness is an Olympic-sized problem that needs Olympic-style coordination to solve.

Tent city dismantled after housing found for 35 homeless people

3/2/2010

The last remnant of Vancouver's anti-Olympic movement began to be dismantled Monday as activists closed their tent city in the Downtown Eastside.

Homeless project works to turn around negative stereotypes

3/2/2010

Doug Oliver did a good deed last month. While working his volunteer shift collecting and sorting cans and bottles at Surrey's 2010 Celebration site in Holland Park (something he did throughout the Olympic Games), he found a wallet, limp and soggy with the recent rains. He didn't open it up and snoop, out of respect for its owner, he said. But he knew it was stuffed with cash because "I could see a $10 bill sticking out." Rather, Oliver turned the item in to authorities in the hopes that it would be successfully returned. In this cynical age, it's a nice story to be sure. But the moral is doubly notable when you learn more about Oliver's personal situation.

Creating Solutions to End Youth Homelessness: Federal Policy Campaign to House 50,000 Homeless Youth

3/1/2010

In this February 2009 brief, the National Alliance to End Homelessness proposes a new federal youth housing campaign to target funding and interventions in youth housing programs to better meet the unique developmental needs of unaccompanied homeless youth.

Risks and Assets for Homelessness Prevention: A Literature Review for the Calgary Homeless Foundation

3/1/2010

Homelessness has become an all-too pervasive and visible problem in Canada. It has spread from large urban centres to rural, northern and remote communities. While a number of programs have been developed to address the needs of the homeless in the hope of re-housing them, a large population of those at risk of homelessness receive little attention until their needs become dire. There are both societal and individual costs to be borne when this occurs. Preventing homelessness has the potential to save countless individuals from the misery of life on the streets. However, with the major effort focusing on assisting those that become homeless, where does one start to prevent this significant social ill? The few authors who have written about prevention provide no clear answers, but raise the importance of prevention as a focus (Burt, Pearson & Montgomery, 2007, US; Moses, Kresky-Wolf, Bassuk & Broundstein, 2007, US; Wireman, 2007, US). One key question is how to define the population of those at risk of becoming homeless. This literature review summarizes research, particularly published studies from the past decade or so, that focus on the risk factors, predictors and pathways in and out of homelessness. Unpublished research reports from reputable organization, especially Canadian ones, are also included. Our primary focus is on factors that differentiate those that have become absolutely homeless from those that are on the cusp of homelessness, either being relatively homeless, or living in hidden homelessness. As such, the analysis focuses particularly on studies that differentiate between these groups. Notably, in comparison to relatively vast numbers of articles that describe the characteristics of the homeless, relatively few differentiate factors between housed and non-housed individuals. We also searched for articles on resilience and protective factors, again finding relatively few. A final focus of the literature review was studies on the pathways in and out of homelessness. Although the pathways into becoming homeless are clearly relevant, studies on the pathways out of homeless are, by definition, looking at individuals that are already homeless. While some identify characteristics of individuals that contribute to a short homeless experience, others focus on program attributes, a topic that, while interesting, is beyond the scope of this paper. This analysis identifies the assets and resiliencies of those from vulnerable populations who do not become homeless, and highlights protective factors or strategies that could prevent a journey into homelessness. These assets and protective factors form the core of a screening tool that can be used to identify vulnerability to homelessness in at-risk populations, but those not yet experiencing homelessness, in the hope of providing early interventions. The document presents research first on structural factors that have been causally linked to homelessness and then on individual factors – protective and risk - that affect homeless individuals across the life-span.

Older Adult Booklet

2/26/2010

In 2007, All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (the Strategy) was released. This Strategy identified actions to strengthen the local housing stability system. Providing information about local resources for increasing the housing stability of older adults was one of these actions. The purpose of the booklet is to provide information about what housing, income and support resources are available to assist older adults who have a low to moderate income.

STEP Home Brochure

2/26/2010

The Region of Waterloo, in conjunction with community partners, is exploring innovative approaches to end and prevent persistent homelessness in our community. STEP Home is an interrelated set of personcentered programs designed to end and prevent persistent homelessness, and foster respect, hope, home, and community by utilizing the following guiding principles: • Housing First towards a home • Participant-landlord-community inclusion • Person-centred and relationship based approach • Supported referrals • Quality housing choice and security of tenure • Re-housing as needed • Solution focused, creativity and persistence • Changing community, provider, and self perceptions • Reducing system barriers • Reflective practitioners Ultimately, STEP Home is working towards an overall vision that every community member in Waterloo Region has housing stability.

2008 Progress Report for All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (FULL REPORT attached to SS-08-054)

2/26/2010

In October 2007, Regional Council approved All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (the Strategy). The Strategy outlines five guiding principles, eight action areas and 92 actions designed to strengthen the housing stability system in Waterloo Region. The Strategy serves as the Region’s system plan for housing stability and forms part of the Region’s Corporate Strategic Plan for 2007-2010. In February 2008, Regional Council approved the terms of reference and membership for the Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy Monitoring Committee. This group has since drafted a 2008 progress report which summarizes implementation progress since the Strategy was released. Significant progress has been made in several areas (i.e., a quarter of the actions in the Strategy have either been fully completed or are close to completion and a further sixty percent have achieved some level of progress). Based on these results, five recommendations have been developed. Additional funding to address issues related to persistent homelessness is required.

2009 Progress Report for All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (FULL REPORT attached to SS-10-004)

2/26/2010

In October 2007, Regional Council approved All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (the Strategy). The Strategy outlines five guiding principles, eight action areas and 92 actions designed to strengthen the housing stability system in Waterloo Region. The Strategy serves as the Regional Municipality of Waterloo’s (the Region’s) system plan for housing stability and forms part of the Region’s Corporate Strategic Plan for 2007-2010. In February 2008, Regional Council approved the terms of reference and membership for the Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy Monitoring Committee (SMC). This group has since drafted two annual progress reports on implementation progress, one published in November 2008 and the current report. In the last year, progress was made in each of the five SMC recommendations identified in the 2008 progress report. In addition, significant progress continues to be made with implementing the actions in the Strategy (77 per cent are complete, identified as ongoing, or currently in progress and 23 per cent require additional resources to reach full implementation, further exploration, or leadership to begin implementation). The SMC has developed four new recommendations for moving forward in 2010.

2009 Progress Report for All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (SS-10-004)

2/26/2010

In October 2007, Regional Council approved All Roads Lead to Home: A Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy for Waterloo Region (the Strategy). The Strategy outlines five guiding principles, eight action areas and 92 actions designed to strengthen the housing stability system in Waterloo Region. The Strategy serves as the Regional Municipality of Waterloo’s (the Region’s) system plan for housing stability and forms part of the Region’s Corporate Strategic Plan for 2007-2010. In February 2008, Regional Council approved the terms of reference and membership for the Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy Monitoring Committee (SMC). This group has since drafted two annual progress reports on implementation progress, one published in November 2008 and the current report. In the last year, progress was made in each of the five SMC recommendations identified in the 2008 progress report. In addition, significant progress continues to be made with implementing the actions in the Strategy (77 per cent are complete, identified as ongoing, or currently in progress and 23 per cent require additional resources to reach full implementation, further exploration, or leadership to begin implementation). The SMC has developed four new recommendations for moving forward in 2010.

CRICH Research Flash - Summer/Fall 2009

2/26/2010

- Women in low-income neighbourhoods are at greater risk of high blood pressure - A parent’s stress can affect her child’s risk for asthma - The “healthy immigrant effect” is evident in homeless populations - Striking health disparities exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children

RICH Research Flash - January 2010

2/26/2010

- We’ve found significant inequities in Ontario’s mental health care system. - Men and women experience problem gambling differently; gender-specific treatment may be appropriate. - Homeless and marginally-housed people nationwide are dying earlier than even the poorest Canadians. - The most successful programs for homeless people with concurrent disorders promote the client’s sense of autonomy.

Professors begin project to address poverty, homelessness in North

2/26/2010

Nipissing University professors Dr. Katrina Srigley and Dr. Dean Bavington, Canada Research Chair in Environmental History, will be working with Laurentian University professor, Dr. Carol Kauppi to address poverty, homelessness and migration issues in northern Ontario. Kauppi was awarded $1 million by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and has assembled a team of researchers called the Community-University Research Alliance (CURA) for the project. The CURA grant program aims to break down barriers that have historically existed between university researchers and citizens in local communities.

Waterloo Region Energy Assistance Program (WREAP)

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide emergency shelter services in Waterloo Region.

Street Outreach Programs in Waterloo Region

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide street outreach (fixed drop-ins or mobile support) in Waterloo Region.

Transitional/Time-Limited Housing in Waterloo Region

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide transitional or time-limited housing in Waterloo Region.

Longer Term Housing Stability Programs in Waterloo Region

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide longer term resources in Waterloo Region (e.g., affordable, permanent housing and/or support).

Shorter Term Housing Stability Programs in Waterloo Region

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide shorter term resources in Waterloo Region (e.g., increasing access to housing, helping people to retain their housing or providing direct or indirect financial assistance).

Emergency Accommodation in Waterloo Region

2/25/2010

One of five housing stability system brochures. Features programs that provide emergency shelter services in Waterloo Region.

Drug problems among homeless individuals in Toronto, Canada: prevalence, drugs of choice, and relation to health status

2/25/2010

Background Drug use is believed to be an important factor contributing to the poor health and increased mortality risk that has been widely observed among homeless individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of drug use among a representative sample of homeless individuals and to examine the association between drug problems and physical and mental health status. Methods Recruitment of 603 single men, 304 single women, and 284 adults with dependent children occurred at homeless shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Canada. Information was collected on demographic characteristics and patterns of drug use. The Addiction Severity Index was used to assess whether participants suffered from drug problems. Associations of drug problems with physical and mental health status (measured by the SF-12 scale) were examined using regression analyses. Results Forty percent of the study sample had drug problems in the last 30 days. These individuals were more likely to be single men and less educated than those without drug problems. They were also more likely to have become homeless at a younger age (mean 24.8 vs. 30.9 years) and for a longer duration (mean 4.8 vs. 2.9 years). Marijuana and cocaine were the most frequently used drugs in the past two years (40% and 27%, respectively). Drug problems within the last 30 days were associated with significantly poorer mental health status (-4.9 points, 95% CI -6.5 to -3.2) but not with poorer physical health status (-0.03 points, 95% CI -1.3 to 1.3)). Conclusions Drug use is common among homeless individuals in Toronto. Current drug problems are associated with poorer mental health status but not with poorer physical health status.

The Homeless Hub Newsletter - February 24, 2010

2/25/2010