Solutions to qathet’s surging crime situation: Speaking with Stuart Clark

An end to surging crime: Part 3

BY PIETA WOOLLEY

Lift Community Services runs several programs in qathet, many with the aim to support people with mental health challenges and addictions, and people who live in poverty.

Here, Stuart Clark, Executive Director, Lift Community Services, answers some of qL’s questions.

Although we sent Lift several questions about crime, Lift opted not to answer them, saying those questions were better posed to other agencies.

What supports does Lift offer at Supported Housing?

Stuart • Supportive housing is an opportunity for people to leave the streets and shelter system for safe and stable housing that will contribute to an improved quality of life. Supportive housing is a self-contained studio home with various support services provided on-site, to ensure people can achieve and maintain housing stability.

Supportive housing is for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness with varying health and personal challenges and needs. People experiencing homelessness are not a homogenous group and have had different pathways into homelessness. That’s why supportive housing tailors its response to clients, to help them maintain their housing and work on healing.

There are a variety of support services offered at the Lift Supportive Housing Building on Joyce Avenue. As each resident may require different support, we take an individualized approach to further develop life and social skills such as employment planning and managing the transition to independence and recovery, as well as programming space to facilitate training and food preparation. Lift works closely with Vancouver Coastal Health and other community partners to coordinate connection and access to important health and community services. Depending on the needs and preferences of the individual, services can be accessed at supportive housing or in the community.

In addition to individualized supports, residents in the building have access to laundry facilities, and a food program offering a light breakfast and a hot dinner. With Lift staff support, residents also organize other programs and workshops based on their own needs and interests, such as skill-based workshops, expressive arts programs, and social activities like karaoke and movie nights.

Lift’s community advisory committee had a neighbourhood representative who would report back to the community. It sounds like that communication isn’t happening?

Stuart • The qathet Supportive Housing Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a committee made up of a cross-section of Supportive Housing partners and community representatives, including BC Housing, Vancouver Coastal Health, members of the public from the local neighborhood, all three local governments, all emergency services (fire, police, ambulance), other non-profits and business owners. The purpose of the committee is to:

• Build and maintain positive relationships amongst the community, the building operators and the program partners

• Facilitate information sharing and dialogue

• Identify and resolve any issues, opportunities and concerns related to the building, operations and related issues

• Support the success of the supportive housing project

The intention behind the Committee is that each member will update their respective communities or agencies; all members have access to the non-public meeting minutes as a reference. If community members are not feeling adequately informed, they can reach out to us, and we will be happy to connect them with the most appropriate committee representative. Additionally, Lift summarizes the committee discussion topics in a quarterly newsletter, which anyone can sign up for. Please get in touch with Lift directly if you would like to be added to that list.

If locals have a negative experience with one of Lift’s clients, what would you like them to do?

Stuart • We encourage anyone with questions or concerns or wanting to learn more and help support the program, to get in touch with us directly. Email us at info@liftcommunityservices.org, or call 604-485-2004.

We’re also in the process of refreshing our website, which will have a lot more current information about our programs, and additional resources for folks to learn more about our approach.

Our staff is always more than happy to meet with community members or groups to provide more information about services, and Lift has coordinated and will continue to coordinate larger community discussions or educational sessions about our programs and services as well.

How does Lift support detox and treatment / recovery - as well as harm reduction?

Stuart • There is a lack of readily available and affordable detox options in our rural community, and the lack of immediate, affordable access to treatment is a real barrier for some of the people we support. Lift and our community partners continue to actively advocate with the Province to increase local access to detox services in the qathet Region.

Lift supports detox and treatment as part of the range of supports available to individuals who use substances.

As part of our Community Health Services, we run an injectable Opiate Agonist Treatment (iOAT) clinic, which helps transition folks off unregulated and potentially toxic drugs onto controlled, prescribed substances. This is an evidence-based medication program proven to treat opioid use disorder. We’re proud to be the first rural community in the VCH region to offer this program to our community.

Additionally, we work with partners like VCH’s Mental Health and Substance Use team and Miklat Recovery Society to make sure the individuals we support have access to a full range of supports and options, including detox and treatment. For us, harm reduction means that we are making these additional supports available and accessible to individuals using substances, so we have licensed practitioners like nurses and social workers regularly working out of our Supportive Housing program and Community Resource Centre.

What other supports should the provincial and federal governments be providing to address qathet’s addictions and overdose crisis?

Stuart • Any solutions need to be in collaboration with and for people who use drugs. Lift is proud to support the work of SUSTAIN (Substance Users Society Teaching Advocacy Instead of Neglect), a local peer network for substance users who advocate for each other, community action and policy change.

Lift is the non-profit lead of qathet’s Community Action Team, which includes community partners and City representatives taking a multi-sectorial approach to mitigate the impacts of the toxic drug supply.

Over 10,500 people have died due to poisoned drugs since BC declared a toxic drug public health emergency in April 2016. Lift advocates for safe supply of substances, which would decrease the number of deaths in our community; lessen stress on our health care professionals, first responders, and community support services; and improve overall health and well-being for people who use substances.

Lift also operates from a housing first perspective, and we believe that permanent, safe, private and consumer-chosen housing is a crucial first step in addressing any social issues. We advocate for more affordable housing options, that will increase the quality of life in our community generally, but also for people who use substances.

What is the new Complex Care Housing?

Stuart • As announced on May 20, 2022, complex care housing is coming to our region at the end of this year, and will be delivered in partnership with the Tla’amin Nation, Lift Community Services and Vancouver Coastal Health Complex care housing is a new program by the BC Government that works to address the needs of people who have overlapping mental health and substance use issues, trauma or acquired brain injuries, and who are often left to experience homelessness or at risk of eviction.

A common misconception is that this program will be funding the construction of new housing. To be clear, this program will not be constructing any housing facilities. The Complex Care Housing funding in the qathet region will go toward funding a specialist, interdisciplinary team in the region that brings an enhanced level of health and social supports that serve people where they live, for as long as they need it.

Complex care is different than supportive housing. Supportive housing provides services and supports that meet the needs of most people who experience homelessness.

Complex care housing services and supports are attached to the individual and will look different depending on individual needs. In the qathet Region, complex care housing services will be integrated into existing supportive housing, and other homes in the qathet region where the services are needed, including on the Tla’amin Nation. The team is expected to be able to support at least 20 qathet community members at a time.

Complex care housing will serve people who need a level of support that goes beyond what is currently available in supportive housing, including people at risk of eviction because of complex mental health and substance use issues, acquired brain injury and histories of trauma.

The qathet complex care housing team will work with a small case load, which will provide time and space for teams to build trust, relationships and connections, all helping people achieve their goals. Teams will have plans to prevent evictions or re-house clients if their housing isn’t a great fit. In qathet, people who live in supportive housing that qualify for complex care housing services, will receive those services directly in their home.

The new Complex Care Services will include:

• Team-based primary care

• Access to addiction medicine

• Overdose prevention and education

• Individual and group counselling

• Social workers

• Occupational therapy

• Peer support

• Recreation therapy

• Home support and cleaning

• Cultural supports, including connections to Indigenous Knowledge Keepers

• Complex care housing will also provide life skills training and help people with medication management.