Post de Mission Bon Accueil

My last presentation in our lab's journal club was on: "Homelessness and Oral Health in Canada: A Growing Concern" Homelessness remains a significant issue in Canada, affecting an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 people visibly each year, with around 50,000 experiencing hidden homelessness on any given night. This growing crisis, exacerbated by factors such as poverty, high rent costs, addiction, family violence, and mental health issues, demands urgent attention and solutions. Demographics and Statistics: The homeless population in Canada is diverse, including 30% from Indigenous communities, and predominantly males (63%). The majority are aged between 25-49 years old, but youth aged 13-24 make up 20% of the homeless population. Most homeless individuals reside in major urban centers like Toronto, with 90% of homeless shelters located in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta. Health Implications: Homeless individuals face numerous health challenges, particularly in oral health. Studies show a high prevalence of missing and decayed teeth, gum disease, oral pain, and infections among this population. The lack of permanent residence, health insurance, and distrust in healthcare providers significantly limits their access to necessary dental care. Government and Community Responses: The Canadian government has recognized the severity of homelessness and has allocated $2.2 billion over ten years to address this issue (Is that enough?!). However, the Canadian Dental Care Program aims to provide better access to dental services for low-income and homeless individuals. Despite these efforts, there is still a long way to go in ensuring that homeless individuals receive the comprehensive care they need. Addressing the Root Causes To effectively combat homelessness, it is crucial to address its root causes. Increasing mental health support, providing temporary housing, offering incentives for affordable housing development, and revising zoning laws are some of the strategies supported by Canadians. Community-based health services, which offer a comfortable environment and facilitate commitment to treatment, are also essential in improving the overall health and well-being of the homeless population. In conclusion Homelessness is not just a housing issue; it is deeply intertwined with various health and social challenges. Comprehensive policies that include health care, housing support, and social services are vital in addressing and mitigating the impacts of homelessness in Canada. Continued research and community involvement are necessary to develop effective solutions and support the most vulnerable populations. Resources: - United Nations, Homelessness Statistics In Canada, homelessness sans-abri reports- homelesshub.ca, others.

🔎 San Francisco se dote de nouveaux objectifs très ambitieux pour réduire le sans-abrisme dans l'agglomération 📈 La ville de San Francisco est particulièrement touchée par l'augmentation du nombre de personnes sans domicile fixe (+ de 8 300 personnes à la rue en 2022, sans compter toutes les personnes hébergées dans des accueils d'urgence). 🏠 Dans cette ville, les prix de l'immobilier sont exorbitants et de nombreuses personnes même en activité professionnelle, ne peuvent se loger. Il y a de nombreux campements et squats. La maire de SF, London Breed a annoncé des objectifs de création de nouveaux lieux de mise à l'abri et de logements pour les personnes sans-abri ou risquant de l'être avec un système de coupons. 🔔 Comme je le disais précédemment cette semaine, la prévention du sans-abrisme est la politique la plus efficace. C'est un coût énorme pour la société, tant moral qu'économique. Il est plus efficace de loger des familles risquant de se retrouver à la rue plutôt que de gérer les conséquences d'une famille à la rue. 💊 En parallèle le gouverneur de Californie a également annoncé des mesures concernant les personnes souffrant de troubles psychiques, ayant un risque important de se retrouver à la rue, et les vétérans. #homelessnessawareness #sansabrisme #politiquepublique https://lnkd.in/epbd4y3E

Why Winter is Especially Dangerous for the Homeless? During the harsh winter months, the homeless population faces extreme challenges that endanger their lives. With freezing temperatures and limited shelter, the risks of hypothermia, frostbite, and other health complications increase dramatically. In recognition of this urgent need, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver (HBHM) is taking proactive steps to alleviate poverty, provide help to the homeless, and assist Canadians with mental health issues. The Perils of Winter for the Homeless: Winter exacerbates the already precarious living conditions of the homeless. Exposure to the cold can lead to severe health consequences, including: Hypothermia:A life-threatening condition that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Frostbite:Damage to the skin and underlying tissues caused by freezing. Pneumonia:A serious infection of the lungs. Heart attack:The cold can increase the risk of heart attack by narrowing blood vessels and raising blood pressure. Furthermore, the homeless often lack access to adequate clothing, food, and healthcare, making them even more vulnerable to winter's hazards. HBHM's Mission in Action: HBHM is committed to empowering individuals and families, providing hope and help to those in need. Through its various programs and services, HBHM strives to create a more equitable and compassionate society for all Homelessness Prevention:HBHM provides rental assistance, financial counseling, and other support services to help people avoid homelessness. Shelter and Housing:HBHM offers emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing solutions to those experiencing homelessness. Mental Health Services:HBHM partners with organizations to provide mental health assessments, counseling, and support groups to individuals facing mental health challenges. Inspiring Stories of Resilience: HBHM's programs have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals. One such story is that of Sarah, a single mother who lost her home to a fire. Thanks to HBHM's housing assistance, Sarah was able to find a safe and stable place for her and her children. Call to Action: We invite you to join our community and support our mission to end poverty, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Together, we can create a more equitable and compassionate society for all. Ways to Support HBHM: Donate:Your financial support will help HBHM provide essential services to those in need. Volunteer:Dedicate your time and skills to our programs and events. Advocate:Raise awareness of homelessness and mental health issues in your community. Spread the Word:Share our social media posts and spread the word about HBHM's mission. Conclusion: Winter poses extreme challenges for the homeless population, but organizations like HBHM are working tirelessly to provide help and hope. By supporting HBHM's mission, you can make a re...

💡Les nouvelles approches des grandes villes pour lutter contre le sans-abrisme ➡️ Il faut trouver de nouvelles manières d'aborder le sujet du sans-abrisme chronique ! ➡️ Les villes Anglo saxonnes déploient de nouvelles stratégies en mobilisant plus d'acteurs. Chacun doit se sentir concerné Objectif : s'attaquer à cette tragédie qui touche des centaines de milliers de personnes à travers le monde. #homelessnessawareness

La Finlande a pratiquement remporté la guerre contre le sans-abrisme, en grande partie grâce à sa volonté de proposer des solutions à long terme plutôt que temporaires. Malgré la croissance de sa population, le nombre de sans-abri en Finlande est passé de plus de 18 000 en 1987 à environ 8 500 en 2009, et à seulement 3 686 en 2022, soit seulement 0,07 % de la population. Ce chiffre est d’autant plus impressionnant que la Finlande utilise une définition large du sans-abrisme qui inclut les personnes qui vivent temporairement chez des amis ou des proches. En fait, 70 % de la population sans-abri de son pays entre dans cette catégorie. Fin 2022, seulement 479 personnes vivaient à l'extérieur, dans des escaliers ou dans les derniers abris de nuit du pays, selon les données du Centre de financement et de développement du logement de Finlande (ARA).

In recent work I have had the opportunity to reflect on the way our system is set up and the results of the siloing of services in our sector. It is common for support for people experiencing homelessness to be equated only with the provision of shelter, however, people experiencing homelessness are not homogeneous and require a spectrum of services to meet their needs. Access to long term, safe and supported housing is fundamentally the most crucial step to improving health outcomes for people who have experienced homelessness, and, in this regard, housing can be viewed as a health response. I strongly support the Housing First approach because it prioritises safe, permanent, and stable housing for people who are experiencing long-term homelessness without any pre-condition. Addressing the need within the house is crucial and will undoubtably reduce homeless recurring in the future. When we think about intervening early this is one of those measures that supports this. Keeping people in place reduces the burden on services long term. Secure housing can enable complex needs to be addressed through a multidisciplinary provision of services. As someone who has used these services in the past, the challenge is getting my needs met in one place, or even getting to see someone. The siloing of services like mental health, and AOD services means I must transport myself around and hope that the waiting is not too far away, that the support is available, or I meet the criteria for that support. When support comes it is traditionally time limited and focused on one or two issues. While individuals require access to a range of services, there are often multiple barriers to this such as long waitlists. The data tells us that homelessness is experienced by people with all levels of education and that more than half of the homeless population in Australia receive low incomes. ****We must remember that reports that rely on SHS data will only include clients who seek or are referred to SHS agencies. The true number of people seeking support is much higher and the characteristics of people who do not match the profile of homelessness is missed. Many people will not seek help but remain supported by family and friends, until that safety net breaks. We must consider that when measuring service needs and the unmet needs, to be mindful of the people who are not included in this data and remain the invisible people. 

❓Did you know Hampshire County Council is proposing to withdraw all non-essential spending from April 2025 to close a £132m funding gap? This includes ceasing funding of all non-statutory homelessness support services, like ours, in the county through de-commissioning the Social Inclusion funding. ❗This is at a time when homelessness in Hampshire is rising even faster than the national average. Let’s take a look at people currently supported by HCC funding: ✳️the majority of people currently housed and supported through HCC funding have ongoing support needs such as mental health issues (75%), physical health issues (33%) and issues with drugs (59%) and alcohol (41%) ✳️Homeless Link's research found people experiencing homelessness have significantly worse health outcomes than the general population and are three times more likely to visit A&E services 🏠National Housing Federation's research found that supported housing “significantly relieves pressures on the NHS, social care, criminal justice and housing systems.” If the proposed cuts go ahead, it will place additional pressure on our health, crime and housing systems. Research from Crisis estimated that preventing homelessness for just one person for one year would actually reduce public expenditure by approximately £10,000 - for each person experiencing homelessness! ✳️applied to the 350 people at risk of becoming homeless if Hampshire County Council ceased funding homelessness services, this would be an additional cost of £3.5m in terms of public expenditure. ⚠️These proposed cuts don’t make sense to us – do they make sense to you? 🗣️Have your say by completing the public consultation survey and help prevent funding cuts from vital homelessness support services: https://ow.ly/KWVR50QQh0w 📋If you’re looking for more info on the cuts proposed click here: https://ow.ly/aapG50QQh0x

À quand chez nous ? La Finlande met fin à l'itinérance et fournit un abri à tous les nécessiteux. Grâce à cette initiative, 4 personnes sur 5 touchées retrouvent une vie stable. La Finlande est le seul pays d'Europe où l'itinérance est en déclin. Nombreux sont ceux qui, sans adresse de logement, ne pouvaient pas trouver d'emploi, et sans emploi, ne pouvaient pas obtenir d'appartement. C'était un cercle vicieux. Dans l'ensemble, les sans-abri se retrouvaient piégés. Malgré le coût initial de 250 millions d'euros depuis 2008 (soit environ 25 millions par an, indépendamment du budget initial qui comprend les investissements nécessaires pour construire et convertir les logements, ainsi que pour mettre en place les infrastructures de soutien), le programme est rentable à long terme. Il permet d'économiser environ 15 000 euros par personne chaque année pour environ 4 600 bénéficiaires, soit un total d'environ 69 millions d'euros économisés annuellement en soins de santé d'urgence, services sociaux et système judiciaire. Cela se traduit par une économie nette de 44 millions d'euros par an. En d'autres termes, ce programme rapporte plus qu'il ne coûte ! #HousingFirst #BonneGouvernance Source : https://lnkd.in/dpHtxUC6

❓Did you know Hampshire County Council is proposing to withdraw all non-essential spending from April 2025 to close a £132m funding gap? This includes ceasing funding of all non-statutory homelessness support services, like ours, in the county through de-commissioning the Social Inclusion funding. ❗This is at a time when homelessness in Hampshire is rising even faster than the national average. Let’s take a look at people currently supported by HCC funding: ✳️the majority of people currently housed and supported through HCC funding have ongoing support needs such as mental health issues (75%), physical health issues (33%) and issues with drugs (59%) and alcohol (41%) ✳️Homeless Link's research found people experiencing homelessness have significantly worse health outcomes than the general population and are three times more likely to visit A&E services 🏠National Housing Federation's research found that supported housing “significantly relieves pressures on the NHS, social care, criminal justice and housing systems.” If the proposed cuts go ahead, it will place additional pressure on our health, crime and housing systems. Research from Crisis estimated that preventing homelessness for just one person for one year would actually reduce public expenditure by approximately £10,000 - for each person experiencing homelessness! ✳️applied to the 350 people at risk of becoming homeless if Hampshire County Council ceased funding homelessness services, this would be an additional cost of £3.5m in terms of public expenditure. ⚠️These proposed cuts don’t make sense to us – do they make sense to you? 🗣️Have your say by completing the public consultation survey and help prevent funding cuts from vital homelessness support services: https://ow.ly/KWVR50QQh0w 📋If you’re looking for more info on the cuts proposed click here: https://ow.ly/aapG50QQh0x

🎯 De l'importance de mesurer l'efficacité des politiques publiques 📊La Californie est un État massivement touché par le phénomène du sans-abrisme. Les fonds publics relâchés au cours des dernières années pour adresser le sujet ont été tout aussi massifs. La question aujourd'hui est de se dire : quel a été l'impact de ces dépenses, étant donné que le sans-abrisme est en augmentation ? Comment mesurer qu'une politique fonctionne ou pas ? A t'on tous les éléments pour pouvoir établir ces mesures ? Cela implique d'avoir des données fiables et interoperables notamment. 💵 Les contribuables sont prêts à payer des impôts pour lutter contre ce fléau, mais il convient de leur montrer l'efficacité de l'emploi de cet argent. #finances #logement #sansabrisme https://lnkd.in/e_qF6NYV