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“Homeless isn’t who you are: it’s where you are”

A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 Years

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Impetus for Change A snapshot from Calgary

More shelters ≠ the answer

Homelessness in Alberta

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In 2008, 11,000 Albertans were homeless

•  14% living on streets

•  25% employed •  40% mental health issues •  50% substance abuse issues •  11% families with children •  10% young adults

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Premier’s Vision: Commitment

•  Premier Stelmach made a commitment to end homelessness, not merely manage it.

•  In January 2008, he established the Alberta Secretariat for Action on Homelessness and tasked them with developing a plan to end homelessness.

–  Board selected from across the province with community and stakeholder participation

–  Board met from March 2008 to September 2008 and developed A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 Years

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Innovation: 10-Year Plan

•  Secretariat consulted key stakeholders and homeless clients in Alberta’s 7 major cities.

•  On March 16, 2009, Alberta endorses the first 10-year plan to end homelessness in Canada

•  All 7 major cities have multi-year plans to end homelessness that align to Alberta’s Plan.

Innovation: Housing First

Housing First is a client centered approach to help the chronic homeless break the cycle of homelessness, by providing a safe, secure home with support services readily available.

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Transformation

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FROM managing… … TO ending homelessness… FROM requiring housing readiness… … TO Housing First FROM scattered supports… ... TO coordinated case management FROM little common planning… … TO shared vision FROM variable funding… …TO long-term dedicated funding

Housing First

“If you want to save the health care system money, start by giving a homeless person a place to live.” Dr. Jeffery Turnbull, President, CMHA

“Lending a hand to a neighbour – to fellow citizens –

is the right thing to do and it betters

all of our lives – as individuals,

as communities, as a society and

as a province.”

Premier Stelmach

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Outcomes: The first two years Goal Target Achieved Number of homeless Albertans provided with housing and supports

2,000 3,995

Number of housing units for the homeless supported

1,000 1,550

•  Shelter use is down in all 7 major Alberta cities

•  Homeless ID Program implemented

•  Preventing Discharge into Homelessness

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Outcomes: Pathways to Housing Impact of intervention on 79 program clients’ public services use

12 months Prior to

Admission

Post Admission % Reduction

Police Service Events 477 305 44%

Remand days 1,446 481 77%

EMS Transports 107 47 64%

ER visits 220 82 63%

Psychiatric hospitalizations 54 17 69%

Housing First: Housing Now

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Play video

www.housing.alberta.ca

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