Unlocking Solutions
36,000+ Ontarians are being prevented from accessing the care they need, when and where they need it.
The Addictions and Mental Health Ontario (AMHO) has released a new report urging all three levels of government to take immediate action to address Ontario’s growing shortage of supportive housing for those experiencing mental health and addictions challenges.
More than 36,000 people are currently on waitlists for mental health and addictions supportive housing in Ontario, with an average wait time of nearly four years. In the report, AMHO calls for urgent investments and a coordinated approach to meet Ontario’s escalating need.
Key recommendations include:
Investing $9 billion over the next ten years to build and operate at least 36,000 new units of mental health and addictions supportive housing in Ontario;
Implementing real-time tracking of supportive housing, portable support models, and transitional housing options; and
Developing provincial mental health and addictions supportive housing standards, that outline eligibility, assessment, data collection, and housing quality requirements.
More on these findings and recommendations can be read in the report.
“Access to supportive housing leads to improved health outcomes, reduced emergency system use, reduced homelessness, and decreased interactions with the criminal justice system,” said Jennifer Holmes Weier, CEO of Addictions and Mental Health Ontario. “Ontario has added 2,300 new units of mental health and addictions supportive housing since 2016 – that’s not nearly enough.”
Other noteworthy findings from AMHO’s report include:
36,000+ Ontarians are currently on mental health and addictions supportive housing waitlists, with only 2-3% being placed in housing each year.
On average, Ontarians are waiting nearly four years to be placed in mental health and addictions supportive housing.
More than half of Ontario’s existing mental health and addictions supportive housing units require significant repairs.
Operating costs for supportive housing range between $2,000 – $5,000/month, significantly less than psychiatric hospitals ($31,500/month), inpatient mental health facilities ($17,000/month) and correctional facilities ($11,000/month).
People living in mental health and addictions supportive housing experience higher levels of treatment engagement and medication adherence, improved access to primary and preventative healthcare, and an increased sense of safety, autonomy, and dignity.
The Mental Health + Addictions Alliance joins AMHO in calling on all three levels of government to prioritize investments in mental health and addictions supportive housing and work together with AMHO members across the province to ensure that every Ontarian can access the mental health and addiction care they need, when and where they need it.