A team designed to help the homeless in the community has been launched in Windsor.
The Collaborative Mobile Outreach and Support Team (MOST) hit the road on a frosty Thursday night looking to change the way people receive mental health and addiction support.
It's a collaboration between Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH), Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE), the Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex County Branch (CMHA WECB) and Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario (ALSO). The team has a driver trained to support those with physical disabilities, an outreach worker, a social worker and will provide supports, including basic care needs, assertive outreach, advocacy and links to community supports. It also connects homeless people to long-term health improvements.
"The intention of MOST is not to move folks in and out but rather improve their quality of life at the point and time of which they are seen," said Janice Kaffer, president and CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. "We are also looking to connect and grow ongoing relationships."
Kaffer said mobile outreach can encourage continued support and treatment and building trust and confidence is critical to reaching the most vulnerable in the community.
The team will operate out of a multi-functional, accessible, van clearly marked with each partner's logo. It is a pilot project but aims to operate until June between Monday and Friday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. when there is a current gap in services. MOST will begin by servicing designated downtown and west-end routes, and stopping at popular locations identified by existing outreach workers who currently support their clients on foot.
"Not only do we now have the ability to stock and distribute basic care needs like socks and food, but also provide a new opportunity of bringing services to this vulnerable population," said Joyce Zuk, executive Director at FSWE. "By physically travelling to the client versus waiting for them to come to us, we begin to reduce traditional barriers to access like transportation, time constraints and distrust in the system."
The six-month pilot will need ongoing funding to continue operating and to expand vital mental health and addiction service across Windsor-Essex.
For schedule and route information visit www.hdgh.org/MOST.
