Concurrent Supportive Housing

The Concurrent Supportive Housing (CSH) Program provides counselling, support, opportunities, and experiences within a supportive housing environment. It is designed for persons who have made the choice to eliminate or change their alcohol / drug use in order to live a healthier life, free from the harm of substance use and/or addiction.

The program strives to improve the health and social outcomes of people with concurrent mental health issues by providing stable housing and individualized support, based on identified goals related to each person’s vision of a happy, hopeful life.

Our Approach to Supportive Housing

The CSH Program uses a flexible and responsive approach to assist individuals who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or who are considered inadequately housed, by helping them to secure and maintain housing. It addresses addiction, concurrent mental health issues, and other issues that may impact quality of life.

CSH delivers service from a harm reduction philosophy that includes, but does not require, abstinence as the ultimate form of harm reduction. The program is committed to delivering services from a person-centered approach that is responsive to the unique strengths and needs of each individual.

Supportive Housing Placement

Housing placement in transitional or longer-term units will be offered based on the participant’s identified substance use goals. Transitional housing offers abstinence-focused support, while longer-term units can support individuals seeking any kind of harm reduction (including abstinence). There are six (6) transition units for females.

Access to units is through referral from Here 24/7 and is available to those seeking housing in Waterloo Region. The length of stay at a transition home is 364 days.

Contact Here 24/7

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to the CSH program, individuals must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be committed to active participation in counselling and support services
• Be able to live and complete activities of daily living independently
• Have recent involvement in health services related to addiction and/or substance use
• Have recent experience with homelessness or be at risk of homelessness (including transitional housing, living on the street, or currently inadequately housed, etc.)
• Have current or historical chronic / problematic substance use concerns
• Have current or historical diagnosable mental health concerns
• Frequent use of addiction and/or mental health treatment services
• Demonstrate financial need (housing subsidy is only available to those individuals whose monthly income meets subsidy criteria as outlined in the lease / occupancy agreement)
• Frequent use of emergency services and contact with the criminal justice system

For transitional housing only:

• Have completed a minimum 21-day residential addiction treatment within the past year and maintain a commitment to abstinence