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標題: [溫哥華本地新聞] At Home: Study shows people are healthier and use crisis [打印本頁]

作者: tiffiant 時間: 2012-11-29 07:15 標題: At Home: Study shows people are healthier and use crisis

At Home: Study shows people are healthier and use crisis services less after getting a home

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Home+Study+shows+people+healthier+crisis+services+less+after+getting+home/7624585/story.html#ixzz2DcoCksZw
For decades, Anne Newman went to bed every night not knowing if her youngest son Cameron, who is profoundly deaf and has schizophrenia, was safe and warm.
But for the past two years, she has fallen asleep knowing he was in his own apartment, with outreach workers monitoring his remarkable transformation from a chronically homeless man with untreated mental illness.
“It is truly a miracle,” Newman said. “He has gone from homeless and scaring everyone to bits ... (to) he now has a part-time job and is holding down a little apartment in the West End.”
The astounding change in Cameron began after his worried family fought to have him committed under the Mental Health Act. His psychiatrist later recommended he apply to enter the national At Home/Chez Soi study, which is examining how best to help homeless, mentally ill people.
After entering the study in 2011, he was given an apartment and provided with outreach workers and support services.
Until then, Cameron, 48, had spent much of his life in turmoil.
As a teenager, he went “totally out of control” after discovering drugs and alcohol, Newman said. The large, tight-knit family did not realize he had a mental illness until he was diagnosed in his 20s.
As an adult, Cameron became a paranoid man with a deep, guttural voice (caused by the deafness) who drank too much, was often arrested by police and made irrational statements triggered by his schizophrenia.
Today, he is taking medication, so his thoughts are more rational. He has a part-time job as a janitor. He quit drinking and smoking. And he obeys the law.
“This has given Cameron a new life, a total new life,” Newman said. “It is so heartwarming.”
The national, $110-million three-year study, funded by the federal government and overseen by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), is examining whether people like Cameron can stabilize if they are given a home first, and then support services.
Preliminary data from the first half of the study indicates the participants are leading healthier lives and rely much less on expensive crisis services, such as jails and emergency rooms.
The data also suggests the money spent on housing and supporting the participants may be a better use of taxpayers’ money.
But funding for the three-year study expires March 2013, and it is unclear what will happen to the 300 people who received homes as part of the $30-million Vancouver arm of the study.
The MHCC is negotiating with the federal government to, at the very least, extend the rent payments for those 300 people, possibly for as long as two years. That would allow academic researchers time to analyze all the data and present evidence that this model should be expanded to help other homeless people with mental illnesses.
The federal government has not confirmed whether it will extend funding beyond March 2013, but says it is working on a “transition plan” for the participants.
If Ottawa provides no additional cash, the provincial government has promised no one will be sent back to the street and that some medical services will be made available to the participants.
But with just four months to go before the study ends, details are scarce.
If there was a poster child for this study, it might be Emily Grant.
When she became a participant in November 2009, she was coming off a four-year bout of depression, homelessness and drug use.

作者: tiffiant 時間: 2012-11-29 07:15

Despite a few setbacks, Grant, 28, eventually quit the drugs, finished her Grade 12 diploma, took a counselling course at college, and is now working as a paid peer support worker for the study.

“I would have been seen by many as a lost cause,” the articulate woman said. “I didn’t want to be (on the street) any more but I didn’t know how to dig myself out.”

The study, she said, gave her the shovel she needed to dig. Just last month, she checked herself out of the project and is now paying her own way in life.

Grant was receiving $1,150 per month in welfare and disability payments, plus a $750 rent subsidy from this study. Today, Grant pays all her bills herself.

“It really does work. I’m a good example. I’m no longer receiving any government subsidies. I am paying my own rent,” she said. “It would have been a more difficult journey if the At Home study was not accessible to me. And it would have cost taxpayers more money.”

SFU health sciences associate professor Julian Somers, the study’s lead researcher, has analyzed the changes in the participants since the first one was given a home in October 2009.

What has stabilized most of the participants, he said, is not merely the four walls around them, but the outreach workers who guide them every day. But continued success for most of them, Somers said, is unlikely if they are given watered-down medical services and lose their outreach workers.

Governments must decide soon about extending — and, ideally, expanding — the funding for this project, he said. “When does it become too late to renew leases and provide reassurance?”

When this program first began in the fall of 2009, there were many skeptics who questioned spending millions of dollars to help people who were considered by most to be beyond help. Some critics remain, but many supporters have emerged.

Tatiana Moisseeva is a landlord of a Kerrisdale apartment building where two of the study’s participants have lived for nearly two years. She has given some advice to the two tenants as they adjusted to living inside, such as keeping their carpets clean, but said they haven’t caused major damage or disruption in the building.

“I don’t have any big problems with them. Of course they need some patience. I try to help them to have a nice place.... and have a normal life,” she said.

Megan Branson is one of the many employers in Vancouver who have given part-time jobs to some of the study participants. Her Olla Urban Flower Project in Gastown, which specializes in ethically sourced plants and has a social policy to hire someone with barriers to employment, gave a job to a participant for many months.

It was not a charity hire, Branson said. When the man was at work, he kept her shop clean and greeted people when they came in.

“We hope to fill that position again with somebody associated with a project like this,” she said.

The At Home study is modelled after similar projects in New York and Los Angeles, which show that long-term homeless people with mental illnesses can lead productive lives after they are given a home and a helping hand.

No one knows that more than Newman, 78, who lives in Qualicum Beach where there are few services to help her son.

Cameron, she said, is worried about the money for study’s support services coming to an end.

“God help us if they don’t get the funding,” said Newman. “The money is being so well spent and there is so much more that needs to be done for the mentally ill.”

作者: tiffiant 時間: 2012-11-29 07:16

Emily Grant who was a participant in a $110 million project into housing 500 chronically homeless, poses for photographs in Vancouver, B.C., November 1, 2012.

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 11:27

So all I need is be a bum, druck addict and wreck havoc in the community and I will get a free apartment in the West end?

Anyone that work for a living is plain dumb.

作者: 大C姐 時間: 2012-11-29 11:55

So all I need is be a bum, druck addict and wreck havoc in the community and I will get a free apart ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 11:27

你賺咁多洗唔洗同人爭呀？

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2012-11-29 11:55

sorry u think that deaf and mentally ill ppl who need help are... "bum"? "wreck havoc"?
Some ppl needs help. It's not just an apartment in the West end. They have "outreach workers who guide them every day". Institutionalization doesn't work for everyone and in this case, the "at home" settings work for the few being mentioned.
Once we encounter problems in our lives then we know sometimes kindness is very important.
It's not all about money and who is the best.

作者: chobit 時間: 2012-11-29 15:18

I worked for a non-profit agency www.chs-nw.org, and I can tell you these are meaningful line of works.

Trust me, by providing them the helps and guidance, we can often turn these people who suffer and costing tax payer money into someone who can contribute to the society. In some cases the amount of contribution are far more than us, the normal working folks.

Know that many of us (Chinese) who were able to come to Canada/US are the very lucky bunch of folks. There are many out there who suffers during the childhood with little to no helps. Many of them don't choose to be that way. It's our lag of understanding, and selfishness who push them away.

So all I need is be a bum, druck addict and wreck havoc in the community and I will get a free apart ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 11:27

作者: chobit 時間: 2012-11-29 15:24

本帖最後由 chobit 於 2012-11-29 15:25 編輯

And we should respect those counseling who are will to serve the community working at a non profit agency. Many of them have to get their PHD/Master and barely make over $35K, with far less opportunity to advance in their career.

And their type of works are relatively high stress.

sorry u think that deaf and mentally ill ppl who need help are... "bum"? "wreck havoc"?
Some ppl ne ...
布小熊發表於 2012-11-29 11:55

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2012-11-29 16:01

And we should respect those counseling who are will to serve the community working at a non profit a ...
chobit 發表於 2012-11-29 03:24 PM

Yes. I agree with you.
I do know a friend's wife who got her PhD and is working in counseling as well.
I, on the other hand, just started to contact some non-profit organization for some assistant. I found ppl very accepting and helpful. I think I will volunteer for them too after I have my issues resolved.

作者: chobit 時間: 2012-11-29 16:11

Good to know that you are seeking helps! I did meet lots of great people with passion of their work/job where I work. =D

Yes. I agree with you.
I do know a friend's wife who got her PhD and is working in counseling as w ...
布小熊發表於 2012-11-29 16:01

作者: Look4chrisng 時間: 2012-11-29 16:18

回復 9# 布小熊

Hug.

作者: Look4chrisng 時間: 2012-11-29 16:19

It is a blessing to be able to help. You don't want to at the receiving side on these matter.

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2012-11-29 16:31

@chobit @Look4chrisng
thanks guys!

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 16:38

Define 'mentally ill'. It sounds to me from this article, it's someone that have taken up drugs on their own accord and become 'mentally ill' there after. 'Bum' and 'Wreck havoc' are proper description for maybe not all, but at least a good portion of them.

Even if they are deaf or mentally ill from birth, their net contribution to the society is much much less than what the society gives back (apartment in the West end). Plenty of hard honest working people don't even get the opportunity to live in the West end given high RE. Giving support to the less fortunate is one thing. To give so much support to the less fortunate to the point that they are getting more than what a honest hard working person is able to get for themselves is over the top.

Kudos for people who are willing to make next to nothing inorder to "contribute to society". That said, I'd say for-profit Apple/Steve Job have made a bigger positive difference to the world than many non-profit organiziation is able to do. Just becasue you are willing to sacrifies yourself doesn't mean you are making a bigger positive difference to mankind in general.

And I donate to Wikipedia, hundreds of $ at a time, because it enables opportunity to a wide number of people, creating a bigger chance that humanity will be improved through knowledge enhancement on a huge audience (3X% have internet access on the globe, so that's over 2 billion benefited some-what directly). Some of them might even use their knowledge to transform the less fortunate and less fortunate parts of the world. That said, I won't give a dime to an odd African kid or two tho. Let alone downtown drug addicts.

And sorry to be cold hearted, you need to have enough downtown drug addict to end up in high profile tragedie,s to have enough deterence for more people to become drug addicts. I bet you there indeed are some people who think that worst case they become drug addicts and the gov't safety net will support them. We gotta stop this line of thinking Hard.

作者: fibbi 時間: 2012-11-29 16:53

加拿大係福利國家係人都知啦。
其實我贊成喺啲偏遠啲嘅地區設立啲更生中心，強制戒毒，又同時俾啲course可以讀。一來downtown啲core area應該用嚟發展先更符合成本效益，喺啲偏遠啲嘅地區成本都低啲啦。喺啲道友聚腳嘅地方整注射中心我覺得唔係咁有效，始終物以類聚，群返啲志同道合人士又點會脫離到呢個圈子呢？

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 17:01

And just to add. I have nothing against non-profit, or self-sacrifies. I'm just saying, non-profit / self-sacrifies does not equate to contributing lots to the society. Just as for profit can also be contributing to the society. In-effective self-sacrifies can even arguably be described as stupid in some scenarios....

Of course, there are a lot of people who sacrifieced themselves and created a lot of positives to the society. And there are a lot of non-profits that have created profound positive change to humanity. Just don't like this 'holier than thou' attitude when it comes to people who are volunteers, work for non-profit, etc.

作者: fibbi 時間: 2012-11-29 17:02

[quote
Kudos for people who are willing to make next to nothing inorder to "contribute to society". That said, I'd say for-profit Apple/Steve Job have made a bigger positive difference to the world than many non-profit organiziation is able to do. Just becasue you are willing to sacrifies yourself doesn't mean you are making a bigger positive difference to mankind in general.

And I donate to Wikipedia, hundreds of $ at a time, because it enables opportunity to a wide number of people, creating a bigger chance that humanity will be improved through knowledge enhancement on a huge audience (3X% have internet access on the globe, so that's over 2 billion benefited some-what directly). Some of them might even use their knowledge to transform the less fortunate and less fortunate parts of the world. That said, I won't give a dime to an odd African kid or two tho. Let alone downtown drug addicts.

And sorry to be cold hearted, you need to have enough downtown drug addict to end up in high profile tragedie,s to have enough deterence for more people to become drug addicts. I bet you there indeed are some people who think that worst case they become drug addicts and the gov't safety net will support them. We gotta stop this line of thinking Hard.
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 16:38

[/quote]

Regarding African kid, we are talking about LIFE here...many sick kids without medication, without a need to go to school...so that's why the tragedies repeat generation after generation. If they receive proper help, things could change. They need a chance to go to school, more clean water, more food, more medical supplies...

Regarding drug addicts, even though I have less sympaphy for them, I do believe some have no choice...not everyone is born as lucky as us...with a supportive family etc etc...those people need help. and they could one day become a contributor to the society, instead of a burden...

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2012-11-29 17:09

Define 'mentally ill'. It sounds to me from this article, it's someone that have taken up drugs on t ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 04:38 PM

I guess in your eyes, I should be killed and disposed now.
I was useful/profitable to society before but now, not as efficient.
May be the same case when ppl grow old too.

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 17:11

[quote
Kudos for people who are willing to make next to nothing inorder to "contribute to society". ...
fibbi 發表於 2012-11-29 17:02

What if tools like Wikipedia can help our next generation to be a LOT smarter, and solve some of the problems that we cant' solve today, like systematically improve the economic condition of Africa as a whole? I think that saves a lot more people in one fell swoop than donating dollar and dimes to African kids. It's revolutionary thinking that push humanity for the better, not a couple pencils during Christmas to some African kid that you don't even know if he/she exists. And you don't even know if the money gets to them, and even if it does, how many can you donate to? How long does it last?

I think donating to things like African kids or animal cruelty, etc only makes the wealthy feel better about themselves and be less guilty of how fortunate they are in comparison. It does extremely little to change the world.

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 17:24

本帖最後由 BiscottiGelato 於 2012-11-29 17:31 編輯

回復 18# 布小熊

Giving support to the less fortunate is one thing. To give so much support to the less fortunate to the point that they are getting more than what a honest hard working person is able to get for themselves is over the top.

I think you contributed way more than any help you are now getting is worth. Whether it be ur taxes or your line of work or your donations, etc. Hope everything is working out fine for you for sure tho!

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 17:27

The national, $110-million three-year study, funded by the federal government and overseen by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), is examining whether people like Cameron can stabilize if they are given a home first, and then support services

This whole sentence is laughable to the max.

I'd say if you are mentally ill or deaf, get help. Not get drugs, and definately not get a free home on the west-end.

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2012-11-29 18:47

This whole sentence is laughable to the max.

I'd say if you are mentally ill or deaf, get help. N ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 05:27 PM

If they know how to seek help, they are not that mentally ill...

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 19:04

If they know how to seek help, they are not that mentally ill...
布小熊發表於 2012-11-29 18:47

I just know they are able to get to live in a West End house out of it, on your's and my tax money! I don't know how mentally ill that is...

作者: Look4chrisng 時間: 2012-11-29 21:07

I just know they are able to get to live in a West End house out of it, on your's and my tax money ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2012-11-29 19:04

If it is E.Van, would that be better? How about Surrey?

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 21:21

If it is E.Van, would that be better? How about Surrey?
Look4chrisng 發表於 2012-11-29 21:07

Which-ever that costs the tax payers less.

作者: Look4chrisng 時間: 2012-11-29 21:53

Let the people live in the poor neighbourhood due with it. No one asks you to be poor anyway.

作者: BiscottiGelato 時間: 2012-11-29 23:00

Let the people live in the poor neighbourhood due with it. No one asks you to be poor anyway.
Look4chrisng 發表於 2012-11-29 21:53

How about all tax paying citizens live in Abbortsford, and leave Vancouver to be all mental ill and drug addicts? Bill footed by tax payers of course.

Laughable.

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