Mental Health Supportive Housing
Guided by the principles and values of psychosocial rehabilitation, Supportive Housing provides community living for people who have a serious mental illness and require treatment, rehabilitation and support. The treatment, rehabilitation and support staff are provided by St. Joseph's Care Group. In this recovery oriented program there are two types of accommodation provided, high and medium, based on level of support required. St. Joseph's Care Group also has six (6) Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO).
High Support
High Support housing is geared for people with a serious mental illness who consistently have difficulty: maintaining personal hygiene; meeting nutritional needs; maintaining a household; managing finances and legal issues; avoiding putting self at risk; responding to dangerous situations; accessing transportation; communicating; managing medication and personal health; participating in leisure/social/vocational activities. Usually the people who apply for these services are: inpatients of psychiatric services, people who have had frequent psychiatric hospital admissions and numerous hospital days.
The High Support Housing Program consists of 4 homes with 24 hour a day on site clinical support. Two houses are on the north side of the city, one on the south side and one is located in a rural setting. Two residences are barrier-free to accommodate residents with accessibility needs. The clients work collaboratively with Nursing Staff and Community Support Assistants to achieve their optimum level of independence along with identifying and attaining their personal goals. Clients are supported to share the responsibility of maintaining the common areas in their home, planning and preparing meals and to individually maintain their own bedroom. The clients are included in managing their budget and health care needs. Clients are led by a leisure life skills instructor and encouraged to explore and participate in leisure, socialization and work activities.
Medium Support
Medium Support housing is geared for people with a serious mental illness who frequently have difficulty maintaining personal hygiene; meeting nutritional needs; maintaining a household; managing finances and legal issues; avoiding putting self at risk; responding to dangerous situations; accessing transportation; communicating; managing medication and personal health; participating in leisure/social/vocational activities. Medium Support Housing provides services onsite 24 hours per day. Clients must be connected to a community treatment team to be eligible for medium support housing. There are two apartment complexes offering medium support.
Medium Support Housing can accomodate up to 30 clients. Some of these accomodations are in shared apartments. Clients are assisted with activities of daily living such as grocery shopping, cooking, household cleaning, laundry, etc. The clients work collaboratively with Nursing Staff, Community Support Assistants and their community treatment team to achieve their optimum level of independence along with identifying and attaining their personal goals. Clients are led by a leisure life skills instructor and encouraged to explore and participate in leisure, socialization and work activities.
Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO)
This program provides accommodation for persons with a serious mental illness requiring long term care and community based rehabilitation. St. Joseph's Care Group has a partnership with two Home Operators who can accommodate up to 15 clients in these private homes. A St. Joseph's Care Group social worker, nurse, and leisure life skills instructor, provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services for the clients living in these homes. CHO aims to improve and/or stabilize peoples' physical and mental health, foster independence, and enhance participation and integration into the community.
Referrals are accepted internally and from community hospitals and agencies throughout Northwestern Ontario via The Access Point Northwest northwestaccesspoint.ca.
