3.9 An Evaluation of the London Community Addiction Response Strategy (London CAReS): Facilitating Service Integration Through Collaborative Best Practices

Homelessness in Canada has been on the rise since the 1980s. In 2006, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights made a number of recommendations for the federal, provincial and territorial governments of Canada to address homelessness and inadequate housing as a “national emergency”(United Nations, 2006). Research has repeatedly found that individuals with addictions and mental illnesses are overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness (Argintaru et al., 2013; Bharel et al., 2012; Draine, Salzer, Culhane & Hadley, 2002; Drake & Wallach, 1999; Forchuk, Csiernik & Jensen, 2011; Goering, Tolomiczenko, Sheldon, Boydell & Wasylenki, 2002; Hwang et al., 2013; Khandor et al., 2011), with approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the homeless population experiencing mental health challenges. This chapter describes the evaluation of a municipal strategy which focused on the housing needs and health outcomes of individuals experiencing addiction, poor mental health and poverty.

Publication Date: 
2016
Publisher(s): 
Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Editor(s): 
Naomi Nichols; Carey Doberstein
Location: 
Canada