A supportive housing funding announcement from the Ontario government means more individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and live with mental health and addictions issues will have increased access to the community supports they need.
The province said in a news release it’s investing $47 million in supportive housing, $14 million of which was previously announced in a release on mobile crisis services in November.
The breakdown of the funding includes:
- $13.7 million to create a new Back to Home program that will provide supportive housing for patients in hospitals with mental health and addictions challenges who don’t need acute care.
- $6.6 million to help up to 25 supportive housing providers that maintain housing units.
- $1.9 million for the Community Homes for Opportunity program, which will provide support services for tenants, such as purchase of electronic devices to ensure they can stay connected and participate in virtual appointments.
- $850,000 in rent supplements to retain supportive housing properties on expiring agreements.
- $10 million for mental health and addictions supports for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in communities hit hard by COVID-19.
- The previously-announced $14 million for supportive housing programs for justice-involved individuals, which will fund more than 500 new units for people who are either on diversion plans from mental health court or have been released from a provincial correctional facility. This also includes more than $1 million for up to 20 units affiliated with five new post-court transitional case managers.
Many Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) branches across the province operate supportive housing programs. CMHA Ontario advocates that stable housing is a key determinant of good health. Read more on the relationship between housing and mental health here.
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