For Mental Health Week 2012, Eva’s has released a national snapshot of mental health issues for homeless youth in Canada.

Click here to read the Press Release
Click here to read the Mental Health Backgrounder
Click here to download the Mental Health Snapshot

For more information on the survey, please contact info@learningcommunity.ca

Homeless Youth with Mental Health Issues an Invisible Crisis

Toronto ON, May 7^th, 2012—The theme for the 2012 Mental Health Week is Mental Health for All. Unfortunately, homeless youth are unlikely to be getting the help they need. In communities across the country, the lack of appropriate services and failure to address the specific needs of homeless youth with mental health issues is resulting in a crisis for young people, their families and the community agencies that seek to support them. The results are devastating as Canada’s most marginalized young people fall between the cracks.

In response to this crisis, the National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness—a collaborative forum of organizations working with homeless youth—engaged in a nation-wide “Day in the Life” event.  Participating agencies did a survey of the homeless youth they worked with to determine how many were experiencing mental health issues. On February 29, 2012, Learning Community members supported 751 homeless and at-risk youth, across Canada, and a staggering 405 were identified as struggling with their mental health—that’s 54 per cent of youth surveyed. Of the 405 youth, 341 (84 per cent) had issues that required additional mental health services and supports beyond those currently available to them. Putting it all into perspective, there are an estimated 65,000 youth either at-risk or homeless right now, in Canada. If over half of those youth are affected, the numbers of under supported youth struggling with mental health issues would total over 35,000.

The survey is significant because it is nationally representative. Ten organizations in eight cities participated in this snapshot outlining the need for change in supporting one of our most vulnerable populations.

The impact on already under-resourced community organizations is substantial. Many organizations are developing collaborative service responses, but need more partnerships with the psychiatric community and mental health providers—and call for the distinct needs of homeless youth to be recognized and taken into consideration.

There are a number of barriers for homeless youth seeking treatment for mental health issues. While some are too old to access services for children and youth, 68 per cent had difficulty accessing services because they had no formal diagnosis; and 55 per cent experienced the lack of a permanent address as a barrier to getting the supports needed.

Young people who have mental health issues are statistically likely to be homeless for longer. As Mental Health Week, approaches, May 7– 13^th, we want to highlight these barriers and shed light on what is truly an invisible crisis. We know that emergency services and responses are more expensive—and want to work with leaders in mental health to develop innovative models and integrated responses that lead to better outcomes for young people—and less cost to our systems.
The National Learning Community On Youth Homelessness has collaborated on a Backgrounder providing details on mental health issues for homeless youth, as well as the snapshot results.  For a copy of either of these documents or to arrange an interview, contact Kari Klassen, Communications Manager for Eva’s Initiatives @ (416) 977-4497 x 138.

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Youth homelessness has existed in Canada for decades, however, recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of young people with complex mental health issues who are also facing the isolation and struggle of homelessness.

In communities across the country, the failure to address the specific needs of homeless youth with complex mental health needs, and the lack of appropriate, timely services is resulting in a crisis for homeless young people, their families and the community agencies that seek to support them. The results are devastating as Canada’s most marginalized young people fall between the cracks. They are often ineligible for, or not well served by children and adult mental health systems – nor well suited to services developed for homeless adults with complex mental health needs.

Context

There are an estimated 65,000 young Canadians between 16–24 who are homeless or at risk, and increasingly they face life on the street or in shelters, while also contending with mental health issues ranging from anxiety, trauma and depression to severe, complex illnesses including schizophrenia, bi–polar disorder, or concurrent disorders. The situation is bleak. Given the realities of homelessness for young people, and the fact that the most significant determinants of mental health are social inclusion, freedom from discrimination and violence, and access to economic resources – this should not be a surprise.

Research indicates that up to 50% of Canada’s overall homeless population struggle with mental illness – but for young people the numbers are even worse.

• Approximately 40% of youth who are homeless identify themselves as having mental health issues, a number that appears to increase with time on the street – jumping to almost 70% after over four years of homelessness. Of those, over half cannot access the mental health services they need .
• A recent “point in time” survey of youth serving organizations identified 54% of the homeless youth they worked with as having mental health issues of some kind, with 79% of those not able to access the mental health services they needed .
• Homeless youth in Canada are coping with mental health issues at a rate 2.5 – 5 times higher than the national average for young people who are housed .
• Suicide is the second highest cause of death in Canada for people aged 15–24, accounting for 24% of all deaths for people in that age group . For homeless youth suicide, overdose and unintentional injury were the leading causes of death . In a survey of 208 homeless youth, 46% had attempted suicide at some point. This same study found the social stigma associated with being homeless was linked to low self–esteem, loneliness and suicidal ideation .

Homeless youth with complex mental health needs often fall into a “no man’s land” in relation to services and supports. Isolated and usually lacking social and life skills due to their time out of family and on the street, they are too young to fit into the adult system when seeking mental health supports – and too old to be able to access services for children and youth. They face mental illness without the advocates their parents might have been were they still at home, and with the added stigma of being homeless.

A perfect double bind – the fact that they are homeless makes it difficult to attend school, hold down a job, or get the treatment that will lead to recovery; and the fact that they have mental health issues means they are statistically likely to be homeless for longer .

A Problem with Solutions

1. Homeless youth have distinct mental health needs that must be acknowledged in order to be appropriately addressed.
   As a first step, homeless youth with complex mental health needs must be acknowledged as having distinct needs that warrant immediate and appropriate attention. National strategies and polices should reflect and acknowledge those needs. At a local level, mental health providers, community based organizations and other institutions which work with young people should be collaborating to provide appropriate and timely services.
• Many innovative, effective partnerships have been developed across the country where hospital teams, psychiatrists and community mental health services work in partnership with shelters and drops–ins providing the level of support homeless young people need – in settings they are comfortable in. Many more are needed.
2. Effective planning will mean homeless youth get the supports that lead to health and recovery and away from costly emergency services.
   Institutions that serve homeless youth are ideal sites for preventative strategies. As young people move from child welfare settings, hospitals, and correctional facilities, appropriate discharge planning must include an assessment of their mental health needs, and the health care supports they require. Effective discharge planning from these institutions will result in young people spending less time cycling through shelters, hospitals and other expensive institutions.
• “The cost of emergency and institutional shelters is about 10 times more than the cost of housing with supports. We are gravely misusing already limited funds.” Emergency services such as hospitals and shelters are more expensive than housing alternatives with supports. The economic imperative for such strategies is irrefutable.
3. The following strategies are critical in addressing the growing numbers of homeless young people with complex mental health needs, locally and nationally:
• Prevention and Early Intervention
  Homelessness can be prevented through early interventions that mean young people don’t experience homelessness, and have effective treatment sooner.
• Age Appropriate Continuum of Supports
  A comprehensive approach is needed taking into account the developmental stages of young people, the reality of frequent substance use, and misdiagnosis or lack of diagnosis. Supports must be available and accessible – long waiting times and unfamiliar settings being serious barriers for homeless youth.
• Housing
  “Housing is a health issue, and adverse living situations have a devastating impact on people’s ability to move forward with their recovery.” Housing is a social determinant of health, and critical for recovery and stability. Young people require a range of housing options – depending on their developmental stage and the complexity of their mental health needs. Whatever the housing model, young people will have more success living independently in models which integrate intensive supports. A renewed investment in housing will mean that emergency services and hospitals are not default housing in Canada.

The National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness was founded in 2006 by Eva’s Initiatives and is a collaborative forum working to build capacity within the homeless youth serving sector and raise awareness of youth homelessness in Canada. Its member organizations work with over 14,000 homeless and at risk young people a year and represent communities from coast to coast.

Members

Jocelyn Helland – Manager, Broadway Youth Resource Centre, Vancouver BC
Marilyn Dyck – Executive Director, The Doorway, Calgary AB
Ronni Abraham – Senior Director of Services, Boys and Girls Club, Calgary, AB
Darrell Lechman – Founder/Director, Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming Inc., Saskatoon, SK
Kelly Holmes – Executive Director, Resource Assistance for Youth, Winnipeg, MB
Louise Smith – General Manager, YMCA of Greater Toronto, Toronto ON
Rachel Gray – Director National Initiatives Program, Eva’s Initiatives, Toronto, ON
Andrea Corbin – Coordinator of Intervention Programs, Dans la Rue, Montreal, QC
Rob Morris – Director, Residential programs, Phoenix Youth programs, Halifax NS
Sheldon Pollett – Executive Director, Choices for Youth, St. John’s NL
Associate Members

Robert Wilmot – Consultant, (Former Manager Broadway Youth Resource Centre), Vancouver, BC
Jennie Vengris – City of Hamilton, Hamilton ON
Bruce Pearce – St. John’s Advisory Committee on Homelessness

www.learningcommunity.ca
info@learningcommunity.ca

1. Raising the Roof. Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions, 2009
2. Helen Kelleher and Rebecca Armstrong, “Evidence based mental health promotion resource,” Melbourne, Dept. of Human Services, 2006 – as in Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario “Workplace Mental Health Promotion – A How to Guide”
3. Research Alliance for Canadian Homelessness, Housing, and Health. “Housing vulnerability and health: Canada’s hidden emergency” Homeless Hub Report #2, 2010; Kirby, M. J. L., & Keon, W. J; “Out of the shadows at last: Highlights and recommendations of the final report on mental health, mental illness and addiction”. Ottawa., 2006
4. Yonge Street Mission, Changing Patterns of Street Involved Youth, December 2009
5. The National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness, Snapshot on Mental Health, March 2012
6. The Canadian Mental Health Association indicates that 10-20% of adolescents in Canada experience mental health concerns. On February 29, 2012, 54% of youth included in the Learning Community survey with were identified as having mental health concerns.
7. Canadian Mental Health Association Mental Health for All, April 2012
8. Roy, E., Haley, N., Leclerc, P., Sochanski, B., Bourdreau, J. & Boivin, J. “Mortality in a cohort of street youth in Montreal”. Journal of the American Medical Association, 292(5) (2004): 569-574.
9. Kidd, S. A. Youth homelessness and social stigma. Journal of Youth Adolescence 36, 2007: 291-299.
10. Yonge Street Mission, Changing Patterns of Street Involved Youth, December 2009
11. Mental Health Commission of Canada, Turning the Key, 2011
12. Mental Health Commission of Canada, Turning the Key, 2011

Eva’s Initiatives is participating in the first ever National Meeting of Canada’s Community Advisory Boards and Community Entities. Hosted by the Canadian Housing Renewal Association, this meeting is about building and consolidating national efforts on preventing and ending homelessness across the country.

We have heard some amazingly inspiring stories about the possibilities for addressing homelessness!

• Shaun Loney and BUILD in Winnipeg; a social enterprise employment program retrofitting low income housing–creating dignity and jobs
• Tim Ross from Fredericton describing the impacts of their Supportive Housing Program that is helping homeless people find homes–and community
• Jennifer Hanrahan from Directions Youth Services in Vancouver and their extensive services to 1,800 young people every year through employment, education, health and art programs.

The networking continues tomorrow morning!

The Recreation Coordinator provides facilitated recreational programming to youth residing at Eva’s Satellite.  Programming will include sports and athletics, fitness, arts, media, entertainment, shelter and community events.  Administrative responsibilities include report writing, activity reports, statistics collection and assisting with program and service development. This position is required to work flexible hours and also includes supporting functions pertaining to the standard operation of the shelter.

Click here to download the full job posting

Posted May 4, 2012

The Peer Program Coordinator (PPC) is responsible for the overall development and coordination of the Peer Program at Eva’s Satellite. The PPC will develop, coordinate, plan, organize and facilitate all peer training and work activities at Eva’s Satellite. The PPC is also responsible for scheduling peer work activities, as well as for providing individual and group support to the peer workers. Some of the administrative responsibilities include assist drafting funding proposals, report writing, collect and complete statistics and activity reports. The PPC will work closely in collaboration with the Harm Reduction staff to develop peer training modules and a peer program manual. The PPC will also work in the community developing partnerships to enhance the services and peer’s learning. This position requires some flexibility in work hours and it also includes support functions pertaining to the standard operation of the shelter.

Click here to download the full job posting

Posted May 4, 2012

Relief Youth Services Workers at Eva’s Place work under the direction of the Residential Supervisor and cover shift responsibilities when full-time Youth Services Workers are absent.  Their responsibilities include ensuring the safety of all residents of the shelter, providing support and supervision of clients, goal-oriented interactions with clients, administrative and clerical duties and general household and food preparation duties.  These positions require reliable individuals with availability at short notice to work alert throughout the shift – overnights, evenings, days and weekends.

Click here to download the full job posting

Posted May 4, 2012

Eva’s was asked to contribute to the policy development process last year and happily did so.  This policy helps bring focus to youth homelessness nationally, speaking both to the ways youth come to be homeless and what they need in order to get out.

We are delighted to have helped make this happen and are looking forward to more collaboration with CHRA–and to the rest of Congress!

While you are there, pick up tickets and browse the silent and live auction items that will be featured at this year’s event on June 14th at the Evergreen Brickworks.

Saturday May 12, 2012
8:30 am – 2:00pm

A conference presented by Parent Support Connection
featuring experts from media, health, education
and social service agencies.

Parenting adolescents &teens is always a challenge but we want
the best for our families —- Don’t miss this important event.

• Meet other parents
•  Hear informative speakers
•  Learn about parenting resources in our community
•  Take away strategies and insights to help you build a stronger family

Hosted by: Parent Support Connection – A GTA based
organization providing education and support to parents
of youth and young adults since 1981.

Ontario Science Centre
770 Don Mills Road
Toronto, ON M3C 1T3

Continental Breakfast
& Lunch Included

Members: $75
Non-members: $85

Download Flyer

 Click here for the full press release.

Aviva will provide support for the Family Reconnect and National Initiatives programs as part of their Street to School program, which aims to help 500,000 homeless and at-risk youth by 2015.  Both programs target youth who are vulnerable to becoming homeless or dropping out of school and this partnership is significant because of its focused support specifically on early intervention and the prevention of youth homelessness.

Aviva Canada and Eva’s Initiatives Working Together to Prevent Youth Homelessness

April 12, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – On this International Day for Street Children, Aviva Canada Inc. – one of the country’s leading providers of home, automobile, recreational vehicle, group and business insurance – is proud to announce its new partnership with Eva’s Initiatives, a recognized pioneer in providing services for homeless and at-risk youth.

Under the partnership, Aviva Canada will provide support for the expansion of Eva’s proven Family Re-Connect and National Initiatives programs. Both programs target youth who are vulnerable to becoming homeless or dropping out of school and this partnership is the first of its kind focused specifically on early intervention and the prevention of youth homelessness. There are currently an estimated 65,000 Canadian youth living on the streets.

Maurice Tulloch, President and CEO of Aviva Canada said today, “We’re in the risk management business and that’s what this investment in Eva’s work is about – preventing the worst before it happens. Family Re-Connect is highly effective at returning youth to their families earlier and that greatly increases the likelihood of them returning to school and securing their futures. We counsel our customers every day to protect their homes and possessions, and this partnership focuses on how we can better protect our most important assets – our kids.”

Aviva Canada’s work with Eva’s Initiatives is part of the organization’s global Street to School initiative. Launched in 2009 to help 500,000 homeless children get back into school and training programs by 2015, the program has to date supported 400,000 children and youth around the world.

Eva’s Initiatives works collaboratively with homeless and at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, to help them reach their potential to lead productive, self-sufficient and healthy lives. Each year, thousands of youth are helped through their emergency and transitional housing, harm reduction services, counselling, employment and training programs, social enterprise, and services to reconnect them with their families. Eva’s Initiatives operates through three locations in Toronto, Ontario including; Eva’s Place, Eva’s Satellite and Eva’s Phoenix, and networks with other youth support programs across Canada to share best practices and proven programs.

“This partnership with Aviva Canada is truly significant for Eva’s Initiatives. It allows us to engage in direct work with youth and families in the community,” said Maria Crawford, Executive Director, Eva’s Initiatives.

About Aviva Canada

Aviva Canada is one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada providing home, automobile, recreational vehicle, group and business insurance to more than three million customers.  A wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, the world’s sixth-largest insurance group, the company has more than 3,000 employees, 25 locations and 1,700 independent broker partners. Aviva Canada and its employees invest in positive change including through the Aviva Community Fund and Eva’s Initiatives, its partner in Aviva’s global Street to School program to help homeless and other at-risk youth reach their potential.

For more information visit AvivaCanada.com, our blog or our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

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Media Contact:

Glenn Cooper

Senior Manager, Public Relations, Aviva Canada

Desk: (416) 288-2685

Mobile (416) 523-3225

Glenn_cooper@avivacanada.com

Audrey with her brownie

Concerned about how homeless youth survive in Toronto, a very compassionate five-year-old girl named Audrey Gage decided to forgo presents on her birthday and take donations for Eva’s instead.

At her pizza and cake making party at Loblaws, Audrey collected $125 so that Eva’s youth could have a place to sleep and something to eat. When asked why she wanted to give money to homeless youth, she quietly said, “ ‘Cause I care for them.”

Audrey hands her donation to Executive Director Maria Crawford

Her mother, Danielle Miller, says Audrey asks questions about homeless people all the time, like “Where do they sleep?”, “What do they eat?” or “Can we give them some money?”

When Audrey was asked what she would wish for homeless youth, she said shyly, “I wish they had a house. I wish they had a family and company. And the company could play games with them.”

You are an amazing little girl, Audrey, and we thank you very much for your compassion and your gift. You are already a role model.

Maria showing Audrey a picture of a former resident who has moved on to great things.

The National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness is a collaborative forum working to build capacity within the youth serving sector and raise awareness of youth homelessness in Canada. Its members, include service providers from coast to coast, who work with over 15,000 homeless and at risk young people every year. Collectively, LC members share best practices and develop strategies and tools to strengthen the sector and more effectively address youth homelessness.

This toolkit was developed for groups and communities across Canada that are concerned about homeless and at-risk youth and how to help them to integrate into society and permanently move out of homelessness. Although the kit is based on the experiences of Eva’s Phoenix, it was created with flexibility and adaptability in mind – groups can use it to help guide and inform their own work as they respond to the unique needs and opportunities in their own communities. Whether a group is interested in one part of the Phoenix model, or the whole thing, the tool kit provides support in understanding and creating the vision, the mindset, the partnerships and conditions needed to develop similar initiatives.

For more information about Eva’s Phoenix and the National Initiatives Program please contact:

The Reconnect Toolkit has been developed for groups and communities across the country interested in exploring early intervention and prevention as methods of responding to homeless and at risk youth. The Toolkit is based on Eva’s Family Reconnect Program and was created to inform program development and broad community responses.

It can be used in part or in whole – to inform counselling approaches with individual youth, to shift a team’s focus towards prevention and work with families, or to develop a new early intervention and prevention program. It is intended to be adapted by groups and communities to suit their community needs, and those of the young people with whom they work.

The Reconnect Toolkit was developed because of the interest expressed by community agencies in prevention work. With project funding received from the Homelessness Partnering Secretariat, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) we were able to undertake this project. The Reconnect Toolkit project included: a review of research – both national and international – and stakeholder interviews with other service providers. The information from the research and interviews was incorporated into the development of this resource.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada in the development of this resource, and wish to thank the many stakeholders who agreed to speak with us about their work and the needs of the young people in their communities.

“… I can finally talk to my parents now. After sessions learning how to better communicate and resolve conflict, I now can clearly express myself to my parents. My relationship with them strengthened and they have started to take me more seriously.” ~ a 17 year old youth

Early Intervention

This prevention program provides support to at-risk young people (14-24) and their families, exploring difficult issues affecting their relationship.

With a family-centred approach, our goal is to help families resolve complex relationship issues, develop positive relationships, increase communication, and, where possible, divert youth from the shelter system.

Homelessness

Family and individual counselling are offered to young people (16-24) who are homeless, living in shelters, “couch-surfing”, or housing insecure. Our objective is to support young people in re-establishing healthy and supportive relationships with those they define as family.

When reconnecting with family is not possible or advisable, our service provides individual counselling, including emotional support, grief and loss counselling, life and coping skills.

We are mobile and will meet with young people and families in the Greater Toronto Area, in a location most accessible to them. There is no cost for the program.

Contact the Program

For more information or to make a referral please contact:
Nancy Abrams • Supervisor • 416 441 3162 X 242 • nancy@evas.ca
360 Lesmill Rd. Toronto ON M3B 2T5

Thank you for purchasing tickets to Home For Life 2012! This year, the event will take place on Thursday June 14th from 6pm – 10pm. You will receive your tickets at the mailing address you provided to Paypal.

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