aaleman's blog

International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held annually on August 31^st, aiming to raise awareness of overdoses and reduce stigma of drug-related deaths. It also acknowledges the grief of families and friends of those who have suffered a permanent injury or died as a result of drug overdose.

As communities around the world prepare to celebrate International Youth Day on August 12, this blog entry discusses child, youth and family programs available to homeless youth and families across Canada. A Way Home Canada, a national coalition dedicated to preventing, reducing and ending youth homelessness, estimates that approximately 20% of the homeless population are between the ages of 13 and 24.

On July 28, the World Health Organization will mark World Hepatitis Day to raise awareness of worldwide efforts towards the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030. With 400 million people living with hepatitis B or C worldwide, this year’s campaign theme in Canada is “Know your Status? Get Tested – Learn Your Options”.

People experiencing homelessness face a number of challenges with finding employment in the formal labour market. The stereotype that all homeless people are unemployed because they are lazy is simply not true. Research consistently shows that people who are homeless want to work and many diligently pursue employment opportunities or work in some capacity. However, being homeless makes it next to impossible to obtain and maintain formal employment.

Securing reliable employment and having access to adequate and affordable housing are critical first steps in the immigration settlement process. Newcomers, including immigrants and refugees, often face increasing barriers to affordable housing.

One of the challenges in understanding and responding to homelessness is that it is often framed as an urban, inner-city phenomenon. With the majority of the Canadian population living within two hundred kilometers of the United States border, most infrastructure investments have been made in larger cities. These investments include the building of shelters, drop-in centres, housing and the provision of essential services for the homeless population.

According to a study of Canadian homeless shelters, over 8.3% of shelter users are 55 and over and tend to have longer shelter stays compared to younger adults.

Foster care is linked to homelessness in two ways. First, a foster care history is linked to later homelessness. Research highlights that over 40 percent of homeless youth in Canada have been involved with child welfare services, including foster care and group homes.

The State of Homelessness in Canada 2014 says that for every person who is unsheltered, there are at least three people experiencing hidden homelessness. Applied nationally, this conservative estimate of 3:1 means at least 50,000 Canadians are homeless on any given night.

As part of the Canadian Mental Health Association 65th Mental Health Week running from May 2nd-8th, this blog covers some of the latest findings about the connection between mental health and homelessness. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Week is “GET LOUD”, encouraging people to speak up against mental illness discrimination and stigma, reflect on the advances in mental health, and share stories to promote public awareness, mobilization and action.