In late summer, Thunder Bay’s Shelter House saw an increased use of services by homeless individuals. The Executive Director, Patty Hajdu, thought ahead to the chilling temperatures that winter would likely bring. If the shelter’s 62 beds were filled in warmer months, what would be the demand for shelter when the cold weather set in? Calgary’s DOAP Team The Shelter House pilot project is modeled on Calgary’s Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership (DOAP) program. DOAP was created as a partnership between Alpha House and the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) and in consultation with city officials as well as police and emergency medical services (EMS). The program originated in response to the high demand for inner city emergency services among homeless and street involved people with addictions. DOAP redirects clients to appropriate services such as detox, treatment, and housing. The team consists of four full-time and two part-time staff members who provide outreach and case management services. They also offer harm reduction supplies to prevent communicable diseases. A CUPS nurse also works on hospital discharge services and medical follow-up. In 2009-2010 Alpha House calculated the social value created by the DOAP team for all of its clients at $1.18 million. Indicators in the calculation included reduced police and EMS attendance at call outs, reduced use of hospital Cold Weather Pilot Project: Emergency Services for Homeless and Street-involved People with Addictions February 14, 2014
Transcript
In late summer, Thunder Bay’s Shelter House
saw an increased use of services by homeless
individuals. The Executive Director, Patty Hajdu,
thought ahead to the chilling temperatures that
winter would likely bring. If the shelter’s 62 beds
were filled in warmer months, what would be the
demand for shelter when the cold weather set
in?
Calgary’s DOAP Team
The Shelter House pilot project is modeled on
Calgary’s Downtown Outreach Addictions
Partnership (DOAP) program. DOAP was
created as a partnership between Alpha House
and the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS)
and in consultation with city officials as well as
police and emergency medical services (EMS).
The program originated in response to the high
demand for inner city emergency services
among homeless and street involved people with
addictions.
DOAP redirects clients to appropriate services
such as detox, treatment, and housing. The team
consists of four full-time and two part-time staff
members who provide outreach and case
management services. They also offer harm
reduction supplies to prevent communicable
diseases. A CUPS nurse also works on hospital
discharge services and medical follow-up.
In 2009-2010 Alpha House calculated the social
value created by the DOAP team for all of its
clients at $1.18 million. Indicators in the
calculation included reduced police and EMS
attendance at call outs, reduced use of hospital
Cold Weather Pilot Project:
Emergency Services for Homeless
and Street-involved People with Addictions
February 14, 2014
2 2
emergency rooms, fewer returns to hospital, and
lower incidence of hepatitis C or HIV.
Thunder Bay’s Cold Weather Pilot
Project
Shelter House’s Patty Hajdu approached the
Thunder Bay City Manager to discuss ways to
alleviate the bottleneck caused by the lack of
transportation services specifically between
shelters and medical services such as
withdrawal management services and
emergency rooms. She also asked Kathy
Christiansen, Executive Director at Alpha House,
to provide a presentation to the Thunder Bay
Withdrawal Management Steering Committee
about the DOAP team and the outcomes the
team realizes through their work.
Shelter House – like Alpha House – has a unique
advantage in that its staff members have pre-
existing relationships with the homeless
community and other community partners. Its
Board of Directors backed the Cold Weather Pilot
Project, and the organization sought financial
support from the City of Thunder Bay (which is
under deliberation until February).
The project began with monthly meetings
between Shelter House and Salvation Army. Both
organizations work with homeless clientele. The
Cold Weather Pilot Project has three
components: improve communication between
Shelter House and the Salvation Army; Street
Outreach Services (SOS); and Day Services for
people who are publicly intoxicated. The SOS
program was launched on December 27, 2013.
The program has a mobile van that goes looking
for homeless people in well-known gathering
areas. Staff offer to bring people to a warm
location or provide hot beverages and other
amenities. At the end of December, Shelter
House initiated the Day Services program that
offers a place to warm up, rest, and access food
in a respectful, client-centred, non-
confrontational setting.
Liability can be a concern for agencies that offer
this type of service. To reduce the likelihood of an
incidence Shelter House conducted several risk
assessments and consulted the Ministry of
Labour. The also looked at the risks associated
with working alone, using a mobile vehicle, and
patrolling high-crime areas. Solutions that
mitigated liability included using a GPS tracker,
providing thorough training, providing staff with a
long-range radio, and having staff carry
smartphones that have a regular check-in app
(SafetyLine). Staff were trained in de-escalation
techniques, and withdrawal protocols, and were
given an overview of services from Thunder Bay
Police, EMS, and Balmoral Centre withdrawal
management program.
Two outreach workers work 12-hour shifts from
2:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and provide a response to
homeless individuals who are not medically
compromised or presenting with violence issues.
February 14, 2014
3
Businesses and citizens are also encouraged to
call the team. Between calls and transfers,
outreach workers sweep known encampment
areas to offer their services.
In the first week of operations, with temperatures
