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Experiences of LGBTQ Adults Who Have Accessed Emergency Shelters in a Large Urban City in Canada
Author(s): John Ecker, Tim Aubry, John Sylvestre
Publication Date: 2021
This study examines the experiences of adults who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) and who have accessed emergency shelters in an urban Canadian city. Twenty LGBTQ adults who were currently or formerly homeless participated in one qualitative interview. The interview protocol included questions on the participants’ experiences accessing emergency shelters, with a focus on interactions with other emergency shelter res...
A Study of the Creation of Affordable Housing for Housing First Tenants Through the Purchase of Condominiums
Author(s): Maryann Roebuck, Tim Aubry, Ayda Agha, Stéphanie Manoni-Millar, Lisa Medd, John Sylvestre
Publication Date: 2021
Open-Access journal.  Successful implementation of Housing First requires a good supply of affordable housing. Since 2002, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch, has purchased 40 condominium units in regular buildings scattered across Ottawa, Canada, to rent to their clients with severe mental illnesses who have a history of homelessness. Seeking to share their experience of this approach that creates affordable housing for Housin...
Finding Home: Community Integration Experiences of Formerly Homeless Women with Problematic Substance Use in Housing First
Author(s): Amandeep Bassi, John Sylvestre, Nick Kerman
Publication Date: 2020
Aims This study explored community integration among women participating in a Housing First program. Physical, social, and psychological dimensions of community integration were examined. Methods This study used neighborhood walk‐along and photo‐elicitation interviews to explore 16 formerly homeless women's experiences of community integration. Results Participants described limited community integration. Health, poverty, service inaccessibi...
Perceptions of Housing and Shelter among People with Histories of Unstable Housing in three Cities in Canada: A Qualitative Study
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Fran Klodawsky, Evie Gogosis, John Ecker, Anne Gadermann, Anita Palepu, Stephen Hwang
Publication Date: 2018
Abstract Housing is a key social determinant of health that contributes to the well-documented relationship between socioeconomic status and health. This study explored how individuals with histories of unstable and precarious housing perceive their housing or shelter situations, and the impact of these settings on their health and well-being. Participants were recruited from the Health and Housing in Transition study (HHiT), a longitudinal, mul...
Poverty and Serious Mental Illness: Toward Action on a Seemingly Intractable Problem
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Nick Kerman
Publication Date: 2017
Abstract This paper examines the issue of poverty among people with serious mental illness (SMI), positioning it as a key issue to be confronted by community mental health systems and practitioners. The paper reviews three perspectives on poverty, considering how each sheds light on poverty among people with SMI, and their implications for action: (a) monetary resources, (b) basic needs, and (c) capabilities. The paper argues that community menta...
A Qualitative Study of the Pathways Into and Impacts of Family Homelessness
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Nick Kerman, Catherine M. Lee, Tim Aubry
Publication Date: 2017
Abstract Homelessness has consequences for families, including risk of deterioration in the health of their members, disruption of family dynamics, and separation of parents and children. This study used qualitative interviews to explore pathways into and perceived consequences of homelessness among 18 families living in an emergency family shelter system in Canada. Findings showed that families’ experiences prior to their homelessness were ch...
A Profile of Families in the Emergency Family Homeless Shelter System in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Nick Kerman, Alexia Polio, Catherine M. Lee, Tim Aubry
Publication Date: 2017
<p>Compared to the wealth of research on single homeless adults, there is little known about homeless families. This paper describes a study of 75 homeless families in Ottawa, Ontario, conducted in 2012-2013. This sample of homeless families includes a large number of newcomer families, including immigrants and refugees. Participants are poor and unemployed, but many are educated, and there is little evidence of alcohol or substance abuse....
The study of service use among homeless persons with mental illness: a methodological review
Author(s): Nick Kerman, John Sylvestre, Alexia Pollilo
Publication Date: 2016
The objective of this paper is to critically review the methods used to study service use by homeless persons with mental illness, and discuss gaps in the evidence base and research implications. Searches were conducted of PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and PubMed to identify service use studies published between 2000 and 2014. Data were extracted on the types of services studied, quantification of service use, assessment tools, period of service use assessm...
Perceptions of Private Market Landlords Who Rent to Tenants of a Housing First Program
Author(s): Tim Aubry, Rebecca Cherner, John Ecker, Jonathan Jetté, Jennifer Rae, Stephanie Yamin, John Sylvestre, Jimmy Bourque, Nancy McWilliams
Publication Date: 2015
Abstract The rental of housing units by landlords to participants in Housing First (HF) programs is critical to the success of these programs. Therefore, it is important to understand the experiences of landlords with having these individuals as tenants. The paper presents findings of qualitative interviews with 23 landlords who rented to tenants from a HF program located in a small city and adjoining rural area in eastern Canada and in which ap...
Follow-Up Implementation and Fidelity Evaluation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home/Chez Soi Project: Moncton Site
Author(s): Tim Aubry, Stephanie Yamin, John Ecker, Jonathan Jetté, Hélène Albert, Danielle Nolin, John Sylvestre
Organization: Mental Health Commission of Canada; Université de Moncton; University of Ottawa
This report presents the results of the second implementation evaluation of the At Home/Chez Soi project in Moncton completed from March to July 2012. The Moncton site is one of five projects initiated across Canada and funded by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC). In addition to Moncton, the At Home/Chez Soi project is being implemented in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. It is part of a 5-year research demonstration projec...
Strengthening the Housing System for People who have Experienced Serious Mental Illness: A Value-based and Evidence-based Approach
Author(s): Lindsey George, John Sylvestre, Tim Aubry, Janet Durbin, Geoff Nelson, Annabelle Sabloff, John Trainor
Publication Date: 2005
Supportive housing is the foundation of an effective community mental health system. Without good quality housing and appropriate support successful community living and recovery are not possible. Ontario is fortunate in having both a mature and an expanding supportive housing system for people with serious mental illness. Nonetheless, the system faces a number of challenges. A principal challenge is lack of sufficient and appropriate options to...
Housing for people with serious mental illness: Challenges for system-level community development
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Geoffry Nelson, Janet Durbin, Lindsey George, Tim D. Aubry, Melanie Ollenberg
Publication Date: 2007
This paper discusses issues in the development of collaborative efforts among stakeholders in a community housing and support system dedicated to people with serious mental illness. Whereas community development efforts directed at localities are more common, the increasing recognition of the system-level barriers facing marginalized groups requires community development efforts that are relevant to communities of stakeholders in service systems....
Housing for People with Serious Mental Illness: A Comparison of Values and Research
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Geoffrey Nelson, Annabelle Sabloff, Sarah Peddle
Publication Date: 2007
This article contrasts values associated with the delivery of housing programs for people with serious mental illness with the typical topics pertaining to housing that are studied by researchers. Six values were identified through a search and content analysis of the literature on housing for people with serious mental illness. A second review of the literature was conducted to identify research on housing for this population. A comparison of fi...
Strengthening Ontario's System of Housing for People With Serious Mental Illness
Author(s): John Sylvestre, Lindsey George, Tim Aubry, Janet Durbin, Geoffrey Nelson, John Trainor
Publication Date: 2007
This article describes recent work to support recommendations for improving Ontario's system of housing for people with serious mental illness. This multifaceted project engaged stakeholders in discussions concerning strategies for improving the system based on (a) values that underlie housing programs, (b) evidence of effective housing practices, (c) the current status of the system, and (d) international practices for monitoring community menta...
Housing Choice and Control, Housing Quality, and Control Over Professional Support As Contributors To the Subjective Quality of Life and Community Adaptation of People With Severe Mental Illness
Author(s): Geoffrey Nelson, John Sylvestre, Tim D. Aubry, Lindsey George, John Trainor
Publication Date: 2007
This research examined two premises of supported housing: (a) that consumer choice/control over housing and support and the quality of housing are important contributors to the subjective quality of life and adaptation to community living of people with mental illness, and (b) that apartments provide mental health consumers with more choice/control over housing and support than group living arrangements. To test these two hypotheses, we collected...