Housing, income support and mental health: Points of disconnection

Cheryl Forchuk,Katherine Turner,Ruth Schofield,Libbey Joplin,Rick Csiernik,Carolyne Gorlick

doi:10.1186/1478-4505-5-14

Abstract

There exists a disconnection between evolving policies in the policy arenas of mental health, housing, and income support in Canada. One of the complexities associated with analysing the intersection of these policies is that federal, provincial, and municipal level policies are involved. Canada is one of the few developed countries without a national mental health policy and because of the federal policy reforms of the 1970s, the provincial governments now oversee the process of deinstitutionalization from the hospital to the community level. During this same period the availability of affordable housing has decreased as responsibility for social housing has been transfered from the federal government to the provincial and/or municipal levels of government. Canada also stands alone in terms of being a developed nation without national housing policy instead what is considered "affordable" housing is partially dependant upon individuals' personal economic resources. As well, over the past decade rates of income supports have also been reduced. Psychiatric survivors have long been identified as being at risk for homelessness, with the disconnection existing between housing, income and mental health policies and the lack of a national policy in any of these policies areas further contributing to this risk.

Highlights

There exists a well known relationship between the presence of a mental illness and increased rates of poverty and homelessness
While early literature suggested that these increased rates of homelessness and unstable housing were due to the presence of a mental illness [1,2]
At the provincial level in Ontario, an examination of the policies pertaining to the issues of housing development, income support and mental health brings to light a large area of disconnect existing between these policy realms

Summary

Introduction

There exists a well known relationship between the presence of a mental illness and increased rates of poverty and homelessness. While early literature suggested that these increased rates of homelessness and unstable housing were due to the presence of a mental illness [1,2]. More recent literature has suggested that these increased rates are more likely the result of an overall lack of affordable housing [3,4,5]. In Canada, the lack of national housing, mental health and income policies have further added to the basic problems related to the issues of housing and mental health. At the provincial level in Ontario, an examination of the policies pertaining to the issues of housing development, income support and mental health brings to light a large area of disconnect existing between these policy realms. The purpose of this paper is to answer, by means of an analysis of the available research literature, the questions; what are these areas of (page number not for citation purposes)

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion