A new transitional housing center has opened in Montreal North, specifically designed to support individuals experiencing homelessness with serious mental health conditions. The facility, inaugurated by Quebec and Montreal officials, aims to provide a stable environment where residents can access comprehensive care before moving into permanent housing.
Addressing a Critical Need
The center will accommodate 12 people at a time, each with a private room and access to shared kitchen facilities. More importantly, residents will be surrounded by healthcare professionals and social workers who will help them navigate the complex system of resources available. James Hughes, CEO of the Old Brewery Mission, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating that while the number of units might seem modest, specialized projects like this are crucial for addressing chronic homelessness.
Part of a Broader Program
This facility represents the fifth such center in Montreal and the sixth province-wide under Quebec's PRISM program. Two additional centers are planned for Sherbrooke and Quebec City, bringing the total capacity to 70 individuals simultaneously. According to studies by the Quebec Health Ministry, between 63% and 81% of participants who complete the PRISM program successfully transition to permanent housing.
"We will be able to help up to 50 people per year in this place once it really starts rolling," Hughes explained. "We're talking about people who have serious mental illness and who are homeless as well. We don't need thousands of units of this kind of service, but we certainly need hundreds."
How the Program Works
Intervention workers initially make contact with individuals on the streets, offering them a room in the transitional housing center. Once accepted, residents receive support for several months, including assistance with obtaining government subsidies, accessing basic healthcare, and preparing necessary documentation. Virginia Doré, the psychiatrist in charge at the residence, noted that while medical stabilization doesn't take long, finding appropriate permanent housing and connecting individuals with ongoing mental health teams requires more time.
"We help them get their papers together, do their taxes and get help to access social housing," Doré said. "The medical stabilization doesn't take very long, but what takes longer is to find housing afterward and to get them affiliated with a team for mental health."
Supporting Complex Needs
Residents at the facility typically face multiple challenges, including addiction, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. They are free to come and go as they please but must check in at least once daily with intervention workers and participate in the programs offered. Doré emphasized that stability is particularly beneficial for those struggling with addiction, as living on the street makes it extremely difficult to overcome substance dependency.
"Having stability is a big help for people, especially for people with addiction, who find it very hard to get off their substances when they're living on the street," she explained.
Broader Impact on Healthcare System
Hughes highlighted that as more people successfully transition to permanent housing through programs like this, there will be reduced strain on the overall healthcare system. He also praised recent municipal efforts to address homelessness, particularly Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada's approach to homeless encampments.
"The mayor has only been there for 100 days, but as far as we're concerned, she's been incredibly active," Hughes said. "The big question is housing. You can do all the emergency service stuff and that's important from a humanitarian point of view, but if you have no trajectories into housing, you're hooped."
Despite the challenges, Hughes sees bright spots in addressing homelessness and believes specialized transitional housing represents a critical step toward sustainable solutions for vulnerable populations.
