• Additional outreach, Social Work, and/or peer support as well as health supports are needed in the Isolation & Recovery Centre if a client with higher levels of mental health, substance use or behavioural needs happens to be admitted the IRC

• Clients reported finding it difficult to maintain distance while trying to ensure they got a bed when checking in to one of the shelters that requires clients to check in every evening beginning at a specific time

• Privacy standards are sometimes at odds with shelter providers’ desire to ensure safety. For example, if someone staying in a shelter tests positive for COVID, public health shares that information directly with the affected person and not necessarily shelter management, unless required during contact tracing.

• During the pandemic, it has been important for shelters to communicate with each other about clients with COVID symptoms or who have tested positive to ensure that client does not go from one shelter to another. The sharing of this type of information needs to adhere to privacy standards.

• Shelter clients’ ability to access other services in the community has been hindered amidst the pandemic as many of these services temporarily stopped or reduced in-person contact. Alternatives such as exchanging emails and voice messages as well as online or phone meetings, often don’t work well for shelter clients. Clients reported less timely and accessible housing support services, income support services, addiction recovery services, group supports, laundry, and bathrooms, in particular.

• Amidst the pandemic, given the limited space to provide physical distanced meals, clients can only stay at the Downtown Mission for 15 minutes at a time, two to three times a day, making it difficult to meet clients’ other needs such as housing supports, clothing, wound care, medication assistance, etc. at the same time as accessing food. However, the Downtown Mission also provides 75 day time program spaces, which could potentially be used to address other needs.

• There is a concern that the current space available to offer physically distanced meals at the Downtown Mission may not be sufficient to address demand during the Winter.

6.0 Service Access and Service Delivery Model

Service Access

“Access” refers to the method(s) or location(s) for people seeking shelter services to connect with service providers. It can include access in person, by phone, or some other method. Currently, people who are seeking shelter services must contact the shelter provider they are seeking services with to find out if they are eligible and if there is capacity to serve them. Some may have to contact more than one service provider before they reach a service that has space available and able to serve them. Depending on the shelter service provider, they may or may not currently assess whether their housing needs can be addressed without accessing emergency housing. Screening for COVID-19 symptoms and referral procedures have been established to access the Isolation & Recovery Centres. Currently, on average