Grant: Foundation Grant

Homelessness is a serious problem, with more than 235,000 Canadians experiencing homelessness each year. People who are homeless suffer from high rates of physical and mental illness, and they often need specialized services and supports to obtain stable housing and improve their life situation. This research program will study innovative interventions to help Canadians who are homeless to achieve better health and well-being, and ultimately to end homelessness itself. This research program has three main goals. The first goal is to improve the ability of housing and support programs known as "Housing First" to end homelessness and improve well-being for people who have been chronically homeless. The second goal is to develop a new program that will help homeless young people between the ages of 14-25 to get stable housing, move forward, and lay the foundation for success in their lives. The third goal is to develop an intervention that will help homeless people who have recently been in the hospital to connect to services, have a better recovery, and stay out of the hospital. This research program will improve the health and well-being of Canadians experiencing homelessness and enhance the ability of our health care and social service systems to meet their needs. In doing so, this program will help make Canada a healthier society for all.