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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Edmonton

New emergency discharge community transition beds opening for people experiencing homelessness

Jan 15, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Jasper Place Wellness Centre announced they are opening 36 new transition beds for people experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from Edmonton hospital emergency departments.

“This is an investment in the ongoing health and wellness of a vulnerable population and meeting people where they are to provide the care they need all while offering them a safe housing option,” said Health Minister Jason Copping.

Officials say the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program will be helping clients transition to appropriate community supports, including housing, physical health, mental health and addiction services. They say the program is designed to improve health outcomes for those needing transitional care and the duration of stays will vary depending on each person’s situation.

“Partnerships in health care delivery help ensure that Albertans get the best care from our dedicated health care workers. I’m really pleased to see this partnership move forward because it will have positive health impacts for the most vulnerable Albertans, as well as the potential to positively impact the demand on emergency services. Albertans want to see improvements in our health care system and we’re committed to delivering that. This work is one more example of our commitment to improving access to health care services,” said Premier Danielle Smith.

AHS says they are working with Jasper Place Wellness Centre, a local non-profit geared towards supporting those experiencing homelessness, to provide transitional supports to assist people in recovering and move towards permanent housing following an emergency department visit.

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“It is our goal that by establishing a more stable connection to ongoing healthcare services and other programming that we can improve the lives of these residents. At the same time, we believe that by supporting them out in the community, we can prevent future emergency department visits, which will help ease the pressure on our healthcare workers at our hospitals,” said AHS Official Administrator Dr. John Cowell.

Officials with AHS say those experiencing homelessness while also struggling with a chronic illness or health issue are often more susceptible to complications and repeat emergency department visits.

“AHS is committed to ensuring that Albertans achieve the best possible health outcomes by receiving the right care at the right time,” said Mauro Chies, Interim AHS President and CEO. “Increasing transition support in the community helps improve the care experience for vulnerable Albertans and assists emergency physicians in prescribing appropriate discharge instructions for people experiencing homelessness. We’d like to thank Jasper Place Wellness Centre for their partnership on this important program and the Government of Alberta for their continued support.”

AHS says they hope to have the first patients discharged from emergency and into Bridge Healing’s facility later this month.

“We are excited to partner with AHS in this unique accommodation program,” said Taylor Soroka, Co-Founder and Vice President of Strategy and Engagement for Jasper Place Wellness Centre. “We are committed to supporting informed, community-led solutions and this is just one example. We’d like to thank AHS for their support and belief in this important work, and we recognize the ongoing work of community members, especially those with lived experience in houselessness, who have advised and supported this program.”

Alberta NDP Health Critic David Shepherd issued the following statement in response:

“Alberta Health Services is working with local agencies to ensure individuals experiencing houselessness are not being discharged back into immediate homelessness or living rough. This is an important option within the range of housing needs. I commend AHS and their local agency partners for bringing forward this pilot program.

“Far too many Albertans are experiencing houselessness at an alarming rate, and it is unfortunate that this program is necessary at all. Data gathered by the sector shows that Edmonton saw the number of individuals experiencing homelessness consistently decreasing, down by 40% until it began to rise again in 2019, with populations nearly reaching levels not seen since the original 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness began in 2008.

“The UCP has been entirely ineffective in addressing this crisis, downloading costs onto municipalities while being derelict in their duty to build affordable housing and provide operational funds for increasingly necessary permanent supportive housing units. Unfortunately, their inaction has far-reaching impacts not only on those struggling with housing insecurity or experiencing houselessness, but also on local businesses, downtown viability, and conversations around public safety.

“I welcome more pilot projects developed by AHS and community partners and look forward to seeing the innovation brought forward by the fantastic local agencies we have here in Alberta. An Alberta NDP government would restart the most aggressive affordable housing construction program Alberta has ever seen and ensure related supports and services are properly funded.”