National Housing Day recognizes the importance of safe and affordable housing

On November 22, C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R. joins communities and organizations across the country to mark National Housing Day and recognize the challenges faced by many people in finding a place to call home.

National Housing Day calls on the need for safe and affordable housing for all Canadians. Across the country, 1.7 million people are in need of housing and at least 235,000 people experience homelessness each year.

In November 2017, the federal government announced a 10-year, $40-billion National Housing Strategy to help reduce homelessness and improve the availability and quality of housing for Canadians in need.

C.M.H.A. recognizes housing as a key social determinant of physical and mental well-being. Particularly, supportive housing is crucial to recovery for many people living with mental health or addictions issues. Evidence indicates that having a place to call home means a better quality of life and success in education and work. Housing with appropriate supports is shown to improve outcomes from even severe mental health and addictions problems.

In partnership with other stakeholders, CMHAs continues its efforts to promote the need for housing in general and supportive housing in particular for people with lived experience of mental illness.

C.M.H.A. branches have called for increased investments in housing, as well as the need to reduce barriers to housing as one way to reduce the overall costs to health care, police and justice, and social services sectors.

Locally, C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R. is pleased to offer housing assistance through the Supportive Housing program. The program provides flexible strengths-based and barrier free supportive housing for persons with a serious mental illness or dual diagnosis, based on respect, dignity, hope and collaboration. The goals of supportive housing include:

• Support people to live as independently as possible
• Support people to participate in the community, accessing community resources and assistance
• Provide supports to minimize stress, provide illness management and prevent crisis and hospitalization
• Provide education and support to people to enable them to develop and maintain skills and relationships

To learn more about Supportive Housing, click here.

Visit https://ontario.cmha.ca/provincial-policy/social-determinants/housing/ to learn more about the importance of housing for mental health.