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Publication Date: 2020
The purpose of this study is to examine the parent–child experiences of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous mothers and fathers experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and separation from their children. A qualitative thematic analysis of baseline and 18‐month follow‐up narrative interviews was used to compare 12 mothers (n = 8 Indigenous and n = 4 nonindigenous) with 24 fathers (n = 13 Indigenous and n = 11 non‐Indigenous). First, it was found that...
Publication Date: 2020
Frequent emergency department (ED) users experiencing homelessness are associated with high costs for healthcare systems yet interventions for this group have been minimally investigated. This study used 24-month data from a multisite randomized controlled trial of Housing First (HF) to examine how effective the intervention is in helping frequent ED users with a mental illness to achieve housing stability, improve behavioural health and function...
Publication Date: 2019
Indigenous people are over represented among homeless populations worldwide and the prevalence of Indigenous homelessness appears to be increasing in Canadian cities. Violence against Indigenous women in Canada has been widely publicized but has not informed the planning of housing interventions. Despite historical policies leading to disenfranchisement of Indigenous rights in gender-specific ways, little is known about contemporary differences i...
Organization: Institute of Urban Studies, The University of Winnipeg
Publication Date: 2019
The objective of this 13-month project was to pilot and address the gaps in policy and literature related to “Indigenized” Housing First (HF), by systematizing the At Home/Chez Soi Winnipeg findings. Also by undertaking a comprehensive review of how the HF approach is currently being implemented for Indigenous people in other communities around the world.
The gathered information was used to develop best practice guidelines on adapting and impl...
Publication Date: 2019
Indigenous people in Canada are not only over-represented among the homeless population but their pathways to homelessness may differ from those of non-Indigenous people. This study investigated the history and current status of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people experiencing homelessness and mental illness. We hypothesised that compared with non-Indigenous people, those who are Indigenous would demonstrate histories of displacement earlier in...
Publication Date: 2019
We examined communities’ expressed needs for capacity building in the implementation of Housing First (HF) for persons experiencing homelessness. The findings are based on thematic analyses of qualitative data obtained from participants (n = 77) in 11 focus groups conducted in seven Canadian cities. We identified capacity building needs in the areas of training (e.g., HF principles, clinical services, landlord engagement) and technical assistance...
Organization: Prairie Research Centre, The Institute of Urban Studies, University of Winnipeg
Publication Date: 2018
Winnipeg is a mid-sized prairie city. Its roots run deep in the community, with a strong sense of resiliency and hope among the agencies that work tirelessly to support those in need. The manner in which Winnipeg’s community responded to increasing levels of homelessness over the last decade forms the basis of the analysis presented in this report. In particular, the objective is to examine the At Home/Chez Soi (AHCS) project and how a number of...
Publication Date: 2017
Individuals experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. The At Home/Chez Soi study provides a unique opportunity to first examine baseline levels of food security among homeless individuals with mental illness and second to evaluate the effect of a Housing First (HF) intervention on food security in this population.
At Home/Chez Soi was a 2-year randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of HF compared w...
Publication Date: 2017
Objective:
This study attempted to determine if Housing First (HF) decreased suicidal ideation and attempts compared to treatment as usual (TAU) amongst homeless persons with mental disorders, a population with a demonstrably high risk of suicidal behaviour.
Method:
The At Home/Chez Soi project is an unblinded, randomised control trial conducted across 5 Canadian cities (Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Moncton) from 2009 to 2013....
Publication Date: 2015
In this paper, we explore Indigenous perspectives of culture, place, and health among participants in a landmark Canadian Housing First initiative: At Home/Chez Soi (AHCS) project. Implemented from 2009 to 2013 in Winnipeg and four other Canadian cities, AHCS was a multi-city randomized control trial that sought to test the effectiveness of Housing First as a model for addressing chronic homelessness among people living with mental illnesses. As...
Publication Date: 2016
Housing First is emerging as an evidence-based practice for housing and supporting people who are homeless and have a mental illness. The objective of this study was to determine whether Housing First increases the odds of obtaining competitive employment in this population and affects income, including income from informal and illegal sources.
A total of 2,148 people with a mental illness were recruited from five Canadian cities while they were...
Publication Date: 2016
There is a growing body of research examining the experiences of homeless older adults in Canada. Fourteen participants (11 males & 3 females) ages 46 to 57, recruited from the At Home / Chez Soi project in Winnipeg, completed individual semistructured interviews exploring their experiences of homelessness. Most participants reported lifelong intermittent homelessness. We identified 5 main themes that captured the experience of homelessness f...
Publication Date: 2015
Background
At Home/Chez-Soi was a 24 month randomized controlled trial of Housing First (HF) conducted in five Canadian cities.
Aims
This article attempts to identify the characteristics of participants who experienced housing instability one year after entering HF. Methods: Those defined as experiencing housing instability were housed <50% of the last 9 months of the first year, excluding time in institutions, unless they were housed 100% of...
Publication Date: 2015
Objectives
Research suggests that homeless people with mental illness may have difficulty obtaining employment and disability benefits. Our study provides a comprehensive description of sources of income and employment rates in a large Canadian sample.
Methods
Participants (n = 2085) from the 5 sites of the At Home/Chez Soi study were asked about their income, employment, and desire for work during the pre-baseline period. The proportion of parti...
Publication Date: 2016
Objective
This study examined whether Housing First fidelity ratings correspond to program operation descriptions from administrative data and predict client outcomes.
Methods
A multisite, randomized controlled trial (At Home/Chez Soi) in five Canadian cities included two assessments of 12 programs over two years. Outcomes for 1,158 clients were measured every six months. Associations between fidelity ratings and administrative data (Spearm...
Publication Date: 2015
The present study explored the prevalence of volatile substance use (VSU) in a community of homeless adults. The importance of individual life history characteristics (history of traumatic events, residential school history, mental and physical health conditions) were also examined with respect to past-year volatile substance use in this sample. Overall, the results indicate that a variety of traumatic events, particularly residential school hist...
Organization: The Institute of Urban Studies, University of Winnipeg
Publication Date: 2014
The following report assembles a preliminary examination of eviction prevention approaches used across Canada (also known as housing retention practices). The particular focus was to better understanding how persons experiencing homelessness and have presence of mental illness transition into permanent housing.
Research included in-depth interviews with nearly 50 key informants, a focus group, and site visits; covering 7 cities and 28 organizatio...
Publication Date: 2013
This research sought to determine whether the implementation of Housing First in a large-scale, multi-site Canadian project for homeless participants with mental illness shows high fidelity to the Pathways Housing First model, and what factors help or hinder implementation. Fidelity ratings for 10 Housing First programs in five cities were made by an external quality assurance team along five key dimensions of Housing First based on 84 key inform...
Publication Date: 2013
Multiple studies of homeless persons report an increased prevalence of a history in-care, but there is a dearth of information on associated outcomes or relevant demographic profiles. This information is critical to understanding if certain individuals are at elevated risk or might benefit from specific intervention. Here, we investigate how a history in-care relates to demographics and multiple outcome measures in a homeless population with ment...
Publication Date: 2013
Objective Homeless individuals with poor health frequently use healthcare services. However, studies using self-reported data may be subject to biases. We examined health status, healthcare and drug use among mentally ill homeless individuals, comparing self-report and administrative data claims to estimate the degree of agreement between the two sources.
Methods Baseline survey data from 100 participants of the Winnipeg site of the Mental Health...