Dr. Isobel M. Findlay, Bill Holden, Dr. Stephen Wormith, Cara Spence Gress, Sana Rachel Sunny, and Hannah Holden

CUISR, University of Saskatchewan Community Forum

Station 20 West, August 19, 2015, 9:30 a.m.

Acknowledgements Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership

(SHIP) and the CAB-SH for the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS)

Advisory Group oversight and input into research design and implementation

Eighty volunteer surveyors who gave of their time and talent

All those in the community who shared their experiences and perceptions

Overview Objectives Definitions Methods Findings Volunteer Debrief Limitations

Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) 2014-2019

Developing a local portrait of homelessness Homeless Individuals and Families Information

System (HIFIS) shelter data collection and reporting systems

Provincially-mandated system Point-in-time counts Service organization data collection

Producing an evidence base for Housing First interventions and priorities

Developing a comprehensive and coordinated intake system

Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership

Develop a strategy to count people experiencing homelessness in Saskatoon How many people in Saskatoon are homeless? What does homelessness in Saskatoon “look like”?

Collect and analyze the data Disseminate the results

Increase understanding of scope and trends of homelessness

Inform service delivery and strategic effectiveness Inform strategies to reduce homelessness

PIT Definition A point-in-time (PIT) count is a count of people

experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness conducted on a single day.

PIT counts give a snapshot of numbers, demographics, needs, and priorities

Although they underestimate the problem, they can be useful evidence

Help to measure progress, shape public awareness, policy development, and program decisions

Saskatoon PIT Counts 2008 & 2012 May 22, 2008:

260 individuals (228 adults and 32 children) 60% between 30 and 50; 46% Aboriginal 45% formally employed (70% full-time)

September 24, 2012: 379 individuals (368 adults and 11 children) 6.4% under 20; 20% 20-29; 17.9% 30-39; 18.6% 40-49;

17.8% 50-69; 61% Aboriginal Social services most cited form of income (22-26%);

21.1% formal or informal employment (indoor) and 26.4% formal or informal employment (outdoor)

2015 PIT Count Method: HPS Changes

Chronically homeless refers to individuals, often with disabling

conditions (e.g. chronic physical or mental illness, substance abuse problems), who are currently homeless and have been homeless for six months or more in the past year (i.e., have spent more than 180 cumulative nights in a shelter or place not fit for human habitation).

Episodically homeless refers to individuals, often with disabling conditions, who are currently homeless and have experienced three or more episodes of homelessness in the past year (of note, episodes are defined as periods when a person would be in a shelter or place not fit for human habitation, and after at least 30 days, would be back in the shelter or inhabitable location).

2015 PIT Count Method A more comprehensive and multi-faceted

picture of housing and homelessness in Saskatoon Surveying all encountered on count day about

perceptions of and attitudes to homelessness Community fora before and after count day Expanded enumeration to include “hidden

homeless”, the provisionally accommodated or “couch surfers” without immediate prospect for permanent housing

Added demographic and other information to aid understanding of those experiencing homelessness

2015 Data Sources An outdoor survey collected by survey teams on the

streets of Saskatoon on count day June 22, 2015 An indoor survey collected by survey teams at

participating Saskatoon shelters Data from the Homeless Individuals and Families

Information System (HIFIS) covering The Lighthouse, Salvation Army, YWCA, and Saskatoon Housing Coalition

Observational data representing those who wished not to be surveyed, but were believed to be without shelter.

Only the completed outdoor and indoor surveys include the full interview data.

The HIFIS data include information about age, gender, and ethnicity; the observational reports include only age and gender estimates.

Only the HIFIS data include demographic information related to children.

PIT Count Method: Outdoor Survey Home base: Saskatoon Friendship Inn 27 survey areas (19 in 2012)

Findings

Figure 1: Service in the Canadian Armed Forces

n=14 10%

n=115 79%

n=17 11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Yes No Non-Response

Figure 2: Respondents Victim of Physical Violence while Living Out-of-doors

n=67 46% n=60

41%

n=19 13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Yes No Non-Response

Figure 3: Respondents who lived with foster families during childhood

Figure 4: Respondents who remained with a foster family until 18 years of age

n=65 45%

n=63 43%

n=18 12%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Yes No Non-Response

n=16 11%

n=60 41%

n=70 48%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Yes No Non-Response

Figure 5: Length of Time Respondent as Been in Saskatoon

n=26 18%

n=8 6%

n=23 16%

n=59 40%

n=13 9%

n=17 11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

< 6 months < 1 year 1-5 years >5 years Since birth Non-Response

Figure 6: Experience of Chronic Homelessness

Figure 7: Experiences of Episodic Homelessness

n=8 6%

n=8 6%

n=24 17%

n=68 47%

n=6 4%

n=32 20%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Days Weeks <6months 6months + Don't know Non-Response

n=38 26%

n=14 10%

n=54 37%

n=6 4%

n=34 23%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

1-2 times 3-5 times 6+ times Don't know Non-Response

19%

6%

18%

18%

19%

21%

21%

23%

25%

60%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Others

Pets

Disability

Mental health

Physical health

Not trusting in services/supports

Family situation

Discrimination

Overwhelming stress

Income/Affordability

Figure 8: Problems in Finding Housing

Figure 9: Supports Needed to Help Find Housing

10%

3%

10%

25%

27%

31%

36%

38%

38%

43%

62%

62%

73%

77%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Other

Help with immigration issues

Services in other languages

Help with disability assessibility

Cultural supports

Harm reduction supports

Help with health needs

Mental health supports

Help getting ID

Help with legal issues

Help with housing applications

Transportation

Help finding affordable place

More money

Figure 10: Supports Respondents Have Used in the Last 6 Months

12%

3%

12%

16%

17%

18%

19%

19%

21%

22%

23%

27%

28%

29%

43%

45%

45%

51%

60%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Other

Newcomer services

Elder services

Children/family supports

Disability services

Charities

Job training/support

Probation/Parole

Ambulance

Community Support Officers

Churches

Detox

Police

ID services

Hospital/ER

Health clinics

Drop-ins

Food bank

Shelters

Figure 11: Sources of Income for Respondents

8%

1%

2%

3%

6%

7%

7%

9%

10%

11%

13%

16%

19%

20%

58%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Other

Workers Comp.

Employment Insurance

Income supplement

Day jobs

CPP/Pension

Full time

Informal employment

Part time

Child tax credit

Panhandling

Formal employment

Diasbility benefit

Family/Friends

Social Services/Welfare

Public Perceptions Figure 12: Homelessness as an Issue in Saskatoon

n=187 47%

n=119 30%

n=61 15%

n=9 2%

n=21 5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Very Serious Quite Serious As Expected Not at all Serious Not Sure

Public Perceptions Figure 13: Organizations that help those who are homeless in Saskatoon

34%

10%

11%

14%

32%

34%

53%

69%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Other

McLeod House

Saskatoon Crisis Nursery

Saskatoon Inveral House

Friendship Inn

YMCA

Salvation Army

Lighthouse

Public Perceptions Figure 14: Main reasons people experience homelessness

52%

17%

20%

20%

23%

32%

40%

42%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Other

Damage deposit

Lack of references

Criminal record

Discrimination

Lack of employment

Physical or mental health

Lack of affordable housing

Public Perceptions Figure 15: Open-ended question: Who do you think are the most impacted by Homelessness?

Public Perceptions Figure 16: Open-ended question: What are important things Saskatoon can do to help reduce homelessness?

Volunteer Debrief Key Recommendations:

• Timing and Location of the Count - Conduct the survey over 24 hrs; Stationary data sites • Recruitment Strategy - Partnering agencies to each generate volunteers; volunteer database • Volunteers Roles and Scheduling - Multiple times and roles that allow for more, diverse volunteers • Community Buy-In - More engagement with participating organizations • Promotion of the Strategy/ Count - Promotion campaign; ongoing preparation for the count and strategies • Short and Simple Survey - Keeping survey short; color coded papers • Token of thanks or acknowledgement of exchange - Water, granola bars, tobacco; respect offered in community research •Public Perception piece - Valuable; good feedback

Limitations Concept of Point-In-Time count - understanding the concept is critical for interpreting findings - comparing between years is not accurate portrayal of ‘trends’ - not an actual or accurate number of people experiencing homelessness; rather, an underestimation and a ‘snap-shot’ Turn around time from notification to delivery of survey - limited notice of the timing of the count from the federal level made many difficulties in planning the count, training volunteers, engaging the community, raising awareness, and planning promotional strategies Recruitment of volunteers and collaborating organizations - more volunteers are needed and could be part responsibility of collaborating organizations and agencies - improved communication and engagement strategy for the community and participating organizations to encourage buy-in and prioritization of the survey