The CAQ wants to better support homeless people who suffer from mental illnesses by offering more housing.
Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant announced on Monday that the government will guarantee that more beds will be available for people who can benefit from adapted and continuous care for eight to 12 weeks. They’ll be followed by a psychiatrist and a multidisciplinary team.
Minister Carmant said that once the person’s condition has stabilized, residential support services will be offered so that they can move into housing and stay off the streets for good.
“We are entering a new phase of our plan to reverse the trend that Quebec has experienced in terms of homelessness in recent years. Our goal is to help people with more complex profiles, who have mental health problems, to benefit from treatment adapted to their situation in order to give them the best possible chance of getting off the streets for good,” he said.
Carmant was present at the Le Chaînon organization, alongside several community partners as well as teams from the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal and the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
More than half of unhoused population reports mental health problems
According to a press release, in 2022, more than half of homeless people in Quebec reported having a mental health problem.
“They sometimes live with substance abuse issues and are often isolated, distrustful, and resistant to traditional services and still face many obstacles when trying to get help,” reads the press release.
The government is pledging $4.2 millions for this project with the aim of expanding the deployment of the Homelessness and Mental Health Reaffiliation Projects (PRISM), to improve Residential Stability with Support (SRA) services, and to improve the coordination of services between the health and social services network and various community partners.
Data shows that the PRISM program between 63 per cent and 81 per cent of individuals are still housed one year after completing the program and their quality of life gets improved.
The government said the goal is to get hundreds of homeless people off the streets each year.
“It is something that we are extending today to Montreal, but that I hope to introduce elsewhere in Quebec eventually,” said Carmant.
PRISM is a housing program that was developed in Montreal to address gaps in services for people who are homeless and suffering from serious mental illness. They primarily help people with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and comorbid substance use disorders.
PRISM projects are designed to serve between eight and 16 people, depending on the capacity of the accommodation resource.
“Le Chaînon is deeply committed to supporting homeless women with mental health issues. Welcoming a PRISM program within our walls, developed in partnership with the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud, is a direct response to these complex challenges. It will allow us to offer psychiatric care and social reintegration support to many of the women we house and reflects our belief that every woman deserves not only a roof over her head, but also local care and comprehensive support to rebuild her life with dignity and hope,” said Chain Director Sonia Côté.