based on more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and reports, recommendations of the truth and reconciliation commission and guidance from indigenous people with lived experiences, sfu psychologist julian somers et al insists that there’s a better — and, yes, a cheaper way.
the $37 million proposal is for three years and would affect the lives of 1,500 people across b.c. who are the most deeply entrenched homeless, addicted and mentally ill.
it’s rooted in research that somers was involved with nearly a decade ago — the federal government’s $110-million,
at home/chez soi
project, which involved 2,000 people across canada in the largest, randomized trial in history to evaluate solutions for homelessness.
subsequent randomized trials done by sfu researchers supported the findings that people able to live in independent, recovery-oriented housing resulted in a 71 per cent drop in crime, a 50 per cent decrease in their hospital use and improved quality of life and community well-being.
for context, here’s what the group’s research on the current situation shows:
• there are more than 2,200 british columbians with mental illness as well as addiction, who over a five-year period average 4.9 hospital admissions, 4.2 court-ordered sentences to custody and 4.4 sentences to community supervision.