Support services amidst the pandemic
It is recommended that the City explore opportunities to provide outreach, Social Work, and/or peer support as well as health supports at the Isolation & Recovery Centre if a client with higher levels of mental health, substance use or behavioural needs happens is admitted the IRC.
It is recommended that the City collaborate with shelters and housing support providers to work towards improving access to workers providing income and housing support during the pandemic by finding ways to allow more direct contact (e.g. single point of contact, direct phone numbers, text option).
How other services/systems/institutions could interact and enhance efficient service delivery
It is recommended that the City and system partners develop protocols to reduce or eliminate discharging into homelessness from jail, hospital and treatment and create opportunities for early intervention. Where services are already in place (e.g. The Downtown Mission’s housing navigation staff that support individuals who are hospitalized and experiencing homelessness), these services should be integrated into the coordinated access process that is established for shelters and for housing supports (i.e. By-Names Prioritized List).
It is recommended that shelter service providers who are unable to accommodate pets onsite establish a MOU with the Humane Society. Alternatively, the City could enter into an MOU with the Humane Society that covers all shelters. The MOU should offer consistent service regardless of why the person is experiencing homelessness or what housing searches they are doing.
Options for funding
The City’s budget for shelter services is not sufficient to meet the community’s shelter as the sole funder. A substantial investment from other sources are required to meet the community’s full shelter needs. Currently, the majority of this investment is being made by the Downtown Mission. Moving forward, the City should (continue to) work with service providers to leverage their investments to meet the community’s full shelter needs, while aligning services with the proposed service design and shelter standards.
There is a need to create a more equitable funding model across shelter service providers. Funding levels should be similar across service providers. However, it is recognized that service providers with a small number of beds, may require higher funding levels per bed to address the unique challenges of operating a smaller program. It is also recognized that service providers that previously had congregate shelter spaces and are now spacing clients out over additional rooms/floors may require high levels of funding amidst the pandemic. However, over the longer term, the City may need to consider non-congregate shelters options for infection prevention reasons if a shelter is no longer financially prudent under a modified space or service model, if suitable replacement alternatives are available.