Permanent Supportive Housing (Parkside Inn Project) What is Permanent Supportive Housing? Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a form of collective housing designed for complex needs individuals experiencing homelessness that offers full-time, on-site support services for tenants. It helps end the experience of chronic homelessness for people who face
barriers to housing due to mental/physical health problems or addictions. These services can include case management, substance abuse or mental health counseling, advocacy, and assistance in locating and maintaining employment.
Why do we need PSH in Grande Prairie? We believe finding the right housing for the right individuals who are experiencing chronic homelessness is key to successfully ending homelessness in Grande Prairie. We know that people in Grande Prairie need the supports that PSH provides. In 2018, the City of Grande Prairie identified 56 people experiencing chronic homelessness. Both the Grande Prairie Five Year Plan to End Homelessness (2015-2019) and the provincial plan to end homelessness have identified PSH as critical infrastructure for each plan to achieve success. All of Alberta’s 7 Cities on Housing and Homelessness, with the exception of Grande Prairie, have an inventory of PSH units and consider them a key component of their work toward ending homelessness.
Currently, no PSH units exist in Grande Prairie but we believe they are necessary to support these individuals to maintain stable housing and helping to end homelessness in our community. Along with the social/human argument for focusing efforts on ending chronic homelessness, there is an economic argument for investment of resources in moving people experiencing chronic homelessness into housing with supports, since chronic homelessness is accompanied by heavy use of health and justice systems.
What are the benefits of PSH? • Improved effectiveness of other Housing First programs • Reduced number of people experiencing chronic homelessness • Improved physical and mental health for tenants • Increased social inclusion, independence and participation in community life for tenants • Reduced costs to public systems related to homelessness, including shelter use, health, legal/enforcement/corrections and emergency systems use After only six months in housing, homeless participants involved in Grande Prairie’s other Housing First initiatives reduced their average use of the health and justice systems by the following amounts: 56% less calls to emergency medical services (EMS) 63% less visits to an emergency room 71% less interactions with the police
Is the Parkside Inn proposed to be a Safe Consumption Site? Answer: No. On July 24, 2018 HIV North, the mobile safe consumption site applicant, confirmed that the Parkside Inn would no longer be considered as a Safe Consumption Site.
What is proposed for the Parkside Inn? The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has successfully been awarded a contract funded by the Alberta Ministry of Community Social Services to lease and operate a PSH facility in Grande Prairie. The Parkside Inn (10437 100 Avenue) has been identified as the possible site for the interim (up to 2 years) PSH facility. Recruitment is underway to select a consultant to seek suitable locations and/or buildings for a more permanent location. If the Parkside Inn became a PSH facility the current commercial motel operation would cease to continue. CMHA and their clients would become the sole occupant and tenant of the facility.
What features would be included? • 24/7 on-site support workers • Security guards • Caretaking • New fencing with access control • Only residents, staff and approved guests will be permitted on-site • Mental health and addictions support workers on-site daily • Community Advisory Group to help the facility integrate with the community
For more information , please call: 587-297-4526 or visit: cityofgp.com/psh