Over 12,000 individuals experience homelessness in Toronto nightly, with most facing mental health issues. Many cycle through jails, hospitals, and shelters, often becoming criminalized due to survival behaviors. Arrests typically lead to harsher conditions post-incarceration, preventing reintegration and job access, thereby perpetuating the cycle of homelessness. Government policies often fail to address root causes, focusing on temporary fixes instead. The Housing First approach emerges as a potential solution, emphasizing stable housing without conditions, aiming to divert homeless individuals from the criminal justice system and improve their overall well-being.
Many unhoused individuals cycle through jails, hospitals, and shelters without lasting support, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions to homelessness and mental health.
Survival behaviors associated with homelessness lead to criminalization, as individuals engage in activities like loitering or theft, exacerbating their situation.
Stable housing significantly improves mental health outcomes and reduces public costs in the long term, challenging the notion that temporary solutions suffice.
The Housing First approach provides a promising intervention, offering stable housing to individuals without preconditions, aiming to break the cycle of homelessness.
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