Planning supported housing for people with serious mental health issues

Abstract

Housing for people with serious mental health issues is a subject that has captured the attention of academics for many yeas. Psychologists have done a tremendous amount of work looking at the positive and negative psychological outcomes associated with different models of housing and support. Planners and geographers have cast a great deal of attention toward the location of housing for people with serious mental health issues, particularly in urban areas.

On a foundation of reviewed literature, this qualitative study set forth to develop an understanding of the housing environment of supported housing residents in a District of Ontario comprising the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and the counties of Wellington and Dufferin. Supported housing involves normal integrated housing that is both adequate and affordable, paired with flexible and individualised mental health support services. One-to-one interviews were conducted with 31 participants (singles or couples) in the cities and small towns located in the study area. The interviews were semi-structured and investigated four dimensions that have featured prominently in academic literature. These dimensions are physical housing environment, social housing environment, housing affordability and choice, and housing history. Discussion around the physical and social housing environments occurred at two scales: the neighbourhood scale and the individual place of residence. In the second stage of this research, a focus group discussion was held with 11 professionals from the community. This group included housing and mental health service providers and municipal planners. During this meeting, the perspectives of professionals on a variety of issues surrounding supported housing were sought.

The gravest concerns of supported housing residents were around affordability and the social environment, including loneliness and a desire for more understanding communities. Housing providers, planners, and mental health advocates confirmed that constructing new housing is a grim prospect and that without large-scale reinvestment by the federal or provincial governments in housing, only small gains will be made. These small gains are occurring mostly through initiatives taken by private non-profit housing providers. There is a ray of hope in developing working relationships and partnerships between agencies but no matter how well the non-profit community works together, without government involvement or private sector billing, the housing gap will not close.

The final results and recommendations stemming from the study are being shared with a number of local advisory and decision-making groups.