The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has released the results of their study on client perceptions of supportive housing, and the transition from hospital to community in a paper titled, “The Road to Recovery – Client Experiences in Supportive Housing.”
For those living with mental illness and addictions, stable housing is a part of recovery. It means independence, a chance at employment, friendships, dignity and a better quality of life. More than 500,000 Canadians living with mental illness are inadequately housed and more than 100,000 are homeless. In addition, many people who are hospitalized due to severe mental illness face housing challenges at the point of discharge due to a lack of suitable housing options in the community. This means that hospital beds become “homes” for some, and are not available for others with acute needs.
We know investment in supportive housing is needed. But what kind of housing? What kind of supports? These are the questions this project sought to answer. Between March and May this year, the project working group interviewed clients at four supportive housing sites in Toronto and held focus groups with site staff.
“Road to Recovery” explores the experiences of clients transitioning from hospital to community, their attitudes towards supportive housing, and the role it can play in recovery from mental illness.
The paper is available here, along with other CAMH public policy documents and submissions.