Category: Weekly

A community-based research project conducted in London, Ontario explored the perspectives of individuals living in emergency shelters and housing agencies who use drugs and are precariously housed. The project was initiated due to a significant increase in opioid overdoses and overdose-related deaths among the homeless population in the city. The researchers collaborated with several housing and emergency shelter agencies and conducted sixteen semi-structured interviews with participants to gather their insights on current substance use and overdose-related policies in place and how they impact their lives. Qualitative analysis methods were employed to identify major themes from the interviews. The findings from this project will contribute to the development of local policies concerning shelter substance use and precarious housing, aiming to establish consistent and comprehensive drug policies by incorporating perspectives from participants, volunteers, and staff in London’s housing and emergency shelter agencies.

We are pleased to announce the release of a new book co-edited by CRHESI’s Academic Director, Dr. Nadine Wathen, titled “Implementing Trauma-and Violence-Informed Care: A Handbook.” This groundbreaking book offers invaluable guidance and presents compelling case studies aimed at supporting the implementation of trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) practices.

Available now through University of Toronto Press, this comprehensive resource serves as a practical tool for healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers seeking to enhance their understanding and application of TVIC. By emphasizing trauma-informed approaches and addressing the complex impact of violence on individuals and communities, this book provides a roadmap for creating supportive environments that prioritize healing, resilience, and empowerment.

Drawing from extensive research and expertise, “Implementing Trauma and Violence-Informed Care” showcases numerous real-life case studies that illustrate successful TVIC implementation. Many of these cases delve into activities taking place in London, Ontario (#LdnOnt), particularly at Western University (#WesternU) and the Western University Faculty of Health Sciences (#WesternUFHS). These examples highlight the transformative power of TVIC in various contexts, showcasing how organizations and institutions can integrate trauma-informed principles into their policies, practices, and programs.

We invite you to explore this valuable resource to gain insights into TVIC implementation and learn from the experiences of those working to create trauma- and violence-informed systems of care. Together, we can foster environments that prioritize the well-being and healing of individuals affected by trauma and violence.

To access the book and learn more about its content, please visit the University of Toronto Press website https://utorontopress.com/9781487529277/implementing-trauma-and-violence-informed-care/.

Please reach out to Dr. Nadine Wathen if you have any questions – nwathen@uwo.ca

An Opportunity for Inclusion and Healthcare Equity

Experience a festival like no other, where the focus goes beyond music and art. The Stardust Festival is proud to support inclusion for the Indigenous community in Northern Ontario and champion healthcare equity. This year, Stardust Festival aims to explore the potential of space research and leverage emerging technologies to provide remote medical care to our rural areas and their residents.

🌌 Bridging Space Research and Indigenous Communities 🌌

Join Stardust Festival as Stardust Festival bridge the gap between space research and the Indigenous communities of Northern Ontario. By bringing these two realms together, Stardust Festival seeks to foster innovative solutions and promote inclusivity in scientific endeavors. Together, let’s explore how space technologies can enhance access to healthcare in remote regions and improve the well-being of all individuals.

🌍 Storytelling and Health Literacy – Lessons from Indigenous Communities 🌍

Engage in thought-provoking discussions during our panel session on “Storytelling and Health Literacy – Lessons from Indigenous Communities.” Discover the power of storytelling as a means to promote cultural safety, awareness, and health literacy among the First Nations of Northern Ontario. Let us inspire further conversations and encourage research on how this compassionate approach can advance cultural safety within the healthcare system.

📅 Save the Date: Fri, Aug 25, 2023, 6:00 PM – Fri, Sep 1, 2023, 6:00 PM EDT

⏰ Join us at Timmins 396 Theriault Blvd Timmins, ON P4N 5B6

🎟️ Secure Your Spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stardust-festival-2023-tickets-489231644017

Embrace the opportunity to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable future. By attending the Stardust Festival 2023, you become an integral part of our collective journey towards supporting the Indigenous community, promoting cultural safety, and championing healthcare equity.

Stay tuned for more updates and information about the Stardust Festival, which will be released weekly in the summer of 2023. And do not worry, the Klingons will be back!

Together, let’s celebrate music, art, and shared experiences while supporting inclusion, cultural safety, and healthcare equity in Northern Ontario. Stardust Festivale eagerly awaits your presence.

#StardustFestival2023 #InclusionMatters #HealthcareEquity

“Education for Reconciliation: Rebuilding Stronger and with Intentionality” 

Office of Indigenous Initiatives at Western University 

London, Ontario, June 26 – 28, 2023 

Boozhoo, Shekoli, Koolamalsihmwa, and Hello.

Welcome to Universities Canada’s Building Reconciliation Forum 2023! 

The Office of Indigenous Initiatives at Western University is honoured to have been selected by Universities Canada as the host of its eighth annual Building Reconciliation Forum. The theme for this year’s forum is “ Education for Reconciliation: Rebuilding Stronger and with Intentionality.” 

We look forward to welcoming you to the Forum, which will take place on June 27^th and 28^th, with a pre-Forum day scheduled for June 26^th. 

Building Reconciliation Forum 2023, in-person registration is now closed, but virtual spots are still available. June 26-28 at Western University.

Check out the video:

REGISTER HERE: https://indigenous.uwo.ca/brf_2023.html

If you have any questions about registration or the Forum, please contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at:  indigenousinitiatives@uwo.ca

by Steven Rolfe, RN, BSCN, MED, CHE, Director of Health Partnerships, Indwell

Photo by and machines on Unsplash

Western University and Indwell have partnered to undertake award-winning research on the power of supportive housing to change lives. Indwell: Making Supportive Housing Work for Canada’s Most Vulnerable is a testimony to the courage of our tenants in living out their search for health, wellness, and belonging in the face of system constraints. The project was the 2022 recipient of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s “Golden Roof” Award. Under the leadership of Dr. Abe Oudshoorn and his team from Western University and the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion, researchers completed a two-year study of Indwell’s supportive housing at London’s Woodfield Gate Apartments, with funding from the National Housing Strategy.

Indwell exists for the care and support of people. We offer deeply affordable housing, care, and support to people experiencing mental health disorders, homelessness, substance use disorders, and other health challenges. We measure our own progress with our tenants and appreciate the personal testimonies of our tenants and partners who identify our work as important and of high quality.

However, there are gaps in what we know about our work. Some of the work we are doing is so new that there is very little to compare it to. While many see the need to replicate and expand work like Indwell’s, there is a significant lack of rigorous evaluation of supportive housing. Secondly, we have the opportunity to use the knowledge developed in our services to inform national policy. In a landscape of high competition for a relatively small basket of resources, lack of evidence can be detrimental to the growth of supportive housing supply for the most vulnerable.

I encourage you to read the full report. As I reviewed it, two items stood out to me.

The first is the affirmation that deep affordability, community, and access to support as a complete package are important to our tenants and a key element of their journey towards wellness. Not only is the availability of support a factor, but it is the availability of a deep and full range of support services that contributes to tenant health and wellness. Tenant narratives affirm what other data tells us: supportive housing can end homelessness for individuals and create new opportunities for recovery and growth.

The second finding is the fact that supportive housing is embraced within the National Housing Strategy as one of the six priority areas for action: “Housing for those in greatest need.” Permanent Supportive Housing is identified as a key intervention in ending the experience of homelessness for vulnerable Canadians, and yet—from a policy and resource-allocation perspective—lacks meaningful support in federal policy such as the National Housing Strategy. The very tool that can be used to end homelessness is, in fact—from a policy perspective—also homeless. While there are clear pathways for charities to develop new housing in terms of bricks and mortar, the same pathways don’t exist to find the supports to keep people housed.

The research concluded with a number of practical recommendations for both policy changes and local service delivery. They include:

1. Social assistance rates must be increased to make affordability work better.
2. Readily available, on-site supports should be integrated in more existing community/social housing, and affordable housing sites to expedite the process of expanding supportive housing.
3. National Housing Strategy funding should support affordability and deep affordability. Loan funding for market-rent housing development should be a separate program.
4. The National Housing Strategy should create a dedicated supportive housing stream to ensure that organizations who wish to house Canada’s most vulnerable are guaranteed some portion of operational funding.
5. Other organizations who may provide affordable housing without current on-site supports—even those who work in the sector but not necessarily providing housing—should consider taking up delivery of permanent supportive housing.

This work verifies that continued advocacy for a singular policy which governs the creation of net new supportive housing resources blending health and housing resources will make the development of adequate housing a reality. Permanent supportive housing works; replicating it will require support through updates of the National Housing Strategy.

You can see more of our recommendations and stories from our study participants at: https://www.abeoudshoorn.com/making-supportive-housing-work-for-the-most-vulnerable/

This study will inform future policy—and we’re not finished. Together, we have secured additional funding to continue our research. The next phase of the research will trace the paths of tenants in particular outcomes like service usage, length of tenancy, and wellbeing. This will allow us to compare different forms of support being provided at four different housing sites in London and St. Thomas. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Western to study and improve our model of permanent supportive housing.

Read about this work in the article in Western News.