Mental Health & Addictions Interventions for Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Practical Strategies for Front-line Providers
According to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, issues surrounding mental health and addition can increase young people’s risk of experiencing chronic homelessness. Service systems and providers in many settings aren’t adequately equipped and resourced to meet the needs of the youth population. This book serves as an intervention guide to direct service providers on how to intervene more effectively with youth who have experienced homelessness. With this book, an internationally recognized group of leading academics and practitioners attempt to address a gap in youth homelessness.
Read the E-book here.
Canadian Cities Increase Their Focus on Permanent Housing
The Canadian Press explores a shift in solutions to homelessness in some Canadian cities. Cities such as Edmonton, Montreal, and Hamilton have moved from a focus on temporarily accommodating people experiencing homelessness to permanently housing them – and credit this approach for reductions in shelter and street homelessness. CEOs of organizations like Old Brewery Mission in Montreal and Homeward Trust in Edmonton reflect on progress made through housing-first programs.
“We can’t just continue to provide overnight shelter and meals and showers and change of clothes. As critical as those services are, if that’s where we stop, we are aiding and abetting homelessness, ” said chief executive officer of the Old Brewery Mission in Montreal, Matthew Pearce.
Read the article here.
Reevaluating Requirements for Access to Shelter in India
An opinion piece in The Telegraph India argues that in order to effectively implement any measure to address homelessness in India, the state needs to formally acknowledge people who are homeless. The piece highlights obstacles posed by the lack of identity papers in the absence of proof of residence for people who live on the street, which renders them “invisible” during planning for welfare and shelter responses. Figures on the total homeless population in India range from 1.77 million, an estimate from the census of 2011, to 3.7 million, according to the office of the Supreme Court commissioner.
Read the article here.
Hawaii Legislation to Prioritize Homelessness and Housing
According to Audrey McAvoy of the Houston Chronicle, Hawaii state legislature is expected to prioritize solutions to homelessness and housing shortages in their legislative session this week. House Speaker Scott Saiki stated that although homelessness and lack of housing are complex issues, House members are aware that such issues are priorities that they are prepared to address this year. In addition to creating more transitional centers, Governor David Ige said his administration is requesting $100 million in spending for capital improvement projects to support the construction of affordable and rental housing.
Read the article here.