October 30, 2009
Homelessness: Reasonable help, not reasonable force
We have serious concerns about the Assistance to Shelter Act which has just been introduced, not surprisingly, the same day the Olympic flame came to Canada. As well-intentioned as it might be, this is neither a humane nor a practical solution to really help people. “Reasonable force” will take the place of reasonable help.
People with mental illnesses and/or addictions are overrepresented in the homeless population. Most homelessness counts ask people who are homeless and don’t use shelters why they don’t use them. In Vancouver, and mirrored in other regions, some say they are turned away or couldn’t get to a shelter meaning that even now people wanting shelter beds aren’t getting them—something the proposed Assistance to shelter Act doesn’t address. But more important, a significant number don’t like shelters. Shelters can be an extremely distressing choice for many homeless people with mental illnesses, and being forced to go to one could trigger any number of mental health crises. The law, if passed, could just push the most vulnerable into further hiding.
We have several other areas of concern around the legislation. First, BC’s Mental Health Act’s already has provisions for police intervention for someone with mental illness and/or addiction (including if they are homeless) in the case of involuntary treatment. The Ministry’s guide to the Act also describes the critical steps and procedures that apply when patients are released from hospital on extended leave. In both cases, if the Assistance to Shelter Act is about saving lives, the Mental Health Act is already a tool for many homeless people with mental illness.
The issue from our perspective has never been the legislative framework; it’s the lack of resources in the community. This has been well documented by international, national and provincial reports including SFU’s Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction. The Vancouver Police Department, the Auditor General and the Union of BC Municipalities have also all called on the government to build the capacity in the community to address the needs of people with mental illness who are homeless. It’s not a lack of knowledge on what to do; it’s a lack of resources and political will to make it happen.
Finally, while shelters are a temporary measure to address homelessness, we need a long-term solution to provide both housing and the social supports necessary for homeless individuals to lead productive lives in the community. We know homelessness and a lack of supported housing are major issues for small and large communities across BC. Continued and sustained investment in permanent supported housing beds is crucial to address the current and growing need. The provincial government has made many investments in this area but they can’t do it alone. We need the federal government to play its part in building housing. MP Libby Davies recently introduced a private members bill calling for a National Housing Plan. Let’s just do it.
And community-based support with those beds needs to be stronger to help people find and keep housing. But due to the current economic climate, community resources are already stretched beyond their limits.
As a charitable, voluntary association, we have been providing community supports to people with mental illness for over 50 years through Canadian Mental Health Association branch offices across BC. CMHA currently provides housing to more than 1300 individuals with mental illness. CMHA BC also leads innovative projects in primary care, police training, criminal justice diversion, and income assistance and housing.
If we’re going to have a legislative solution, let the new law be a right to effective treatment and support. People who are homeless who willfully choose not to use shelters in the winter are between a rock and a hard place. Isn’t it time we gave them a third option?
Bev Gutray
Executive Director
Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Vancouver, BC
