More than 500 people in Winnipeg who are homeless and living with a mental illness are being recruited to participate in Canada’s largest-ever study on the issue. The Winnipeg At Home project is aimed at providing people with stable, long-term housing and supports, with particular attention to the Aboriginal population. Using a $3.75 million grant provided by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, The University of Winnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies (IUS) and the University of Manitoba’s Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences form the core research team.

The At Home/ Chez Soi Project was launched concurrently today in Toronto and in the other four participating cities: Winnipeg, Moncton, Vancouver and Montreal.

The Winnipeg At Home Project will result in 300 people presently homeless being offered housing in neighbourhoods throughout Winnipeg. Those with highest needs will have access to 24 hour support.

“The University of Manitoba has a long-standing commitment to working with and serving the needs of the people of Manitoba,” says David Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manitoba. “Through this project, our researchers will be working directly with members of our community to identify solutions to homelessness and in so doing, pursue the fundamental human right to a secure place to live.”

“To my knowledge, this national project on homelessness and mental illness is the largest randomized controlled trial ever conducted in Canada,” says Jitender Sareen, Director of Research and Anxiety Services at the University of Manitoba, and co-investigator on the local project. “The findings from this important study will have national and international relevance for policymakers, and will specifically help the thousands of homeless people in Canada. I am honoured to be part of this important work.”

Local estimates contend that 70 per cent of the homeless population in Winnipeg is Aboriginal. The Winnipeg research team will work in partnership and cooperation with three primary agencies that will deliver a “Housing First” approach (a focus on providing housing, then offering necessary services and supports): Mount Carmel Clinic, Ma Mawi Chi Itata Centre and the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre. The project team is supported and guided by the advice of an Urban Aboriginal Lens Committee consisting of community elders and cultural teachers.

The overall intent of the four-year demonstration project is to test and assess whether a proven housing intervention is effective in the Canadian context, with the ultimate goal to work toward long term sustainability.

Sareen adds: “What surprises people most is that being homeless and on the streets can cost more than sheltering someone and providing them with services and supports.”

Link:

Mental Health Commission of Canada http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca

The University of Manitoba is the only medical-doctoral post-secondary institution in the province and educates the majority of professionals in Manitoba. The U of M is a world leader in many research areas, including the search for a vaccine against the spread of HIV/AIDS. Visit us at: umanitoba.ca

For more information, contact Jitender Sareen, at: 204-787-7078