It's a struggle to find and keep housing if you are living with a mental illness.
Just ask Linda McCarthy. She watches her 65-year-old brother struggle with the challenge.
He acquired a brain injury at the age of four when he fell off a bunk bed. In adulthood, he developed an addiction to alcohol, encountered poor housing, and became homeless. He had complex medical conditions, emphasized by his housing conditions, and people started taking advantage of him.
He never attended a school like the rest of us. He had to take a taxi to what was called "opportunity class."
"He was assessed by a neurologist in Toronto and she identified his deficits, because to look at him you wouldn't know there is a problem," said McCarthy at a news conference yesterday to announce funding for better access to mental health and addiction services as well as more support for housing.
Her brother was drinking because he was bored and had nothing to do.
"But when you give them a roof over their head they become engaged in working and relationships, working out of the home at small jobs, and the urge for alcohol dissipates and they're fine," explained McCarthy.
The announcement of $539,000 by the NE LHIN will be a big help for McCarthy's brother. The Northeast LHIN has the highest rate of addiction in the province.
"We really need something like this for people who have addictions."
"Through LHIN-led engagements, we know that people living in this area have difficulty accessing mental health and addiction services," said Kate Fyfe, Interim CEO, North East LHIN. "North Bay and area is home to exceptional community leaders who are doing great work to better meet the needs of people."
Getting funding is:
Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services - $380,000 to provide housing for eight Individuals with complex medical and psychiatric conditions. These are people who may, otherwise, find themselves without permanent housing.
Community Counseling Centre of Nipissing - $89,000 to support an Addictions-Concurrent Disorders Counsellor so that the centre can increase service hours at its walk-in clinic - and help to reduce wait times for services.
People for Equal Partnership in Mental Health - $70,000 to support a residential peer support worker who will help to enhance the housing stability of the 20 tenants living at 416 Lakeshore Drive.
Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services is a local mental health agency that Specializes in support services for people with a serious mental illness.
Community Counseling Centre of Nipissing offers counseling services and community programs to individuals, couples, and families.
People for Equal Partnership in Mental Health offers peer support, self-help groups, and social, educational and recreational activities to people with mental health and addiction issues.
