Toronto, September 28, 2011: The Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs (OFCMHAP) is questioning political parties on the whereabouts of a housing strategy in the upcoming provincial election. OFCMHAP is urging all political party candidates and the next government of Ontario through its provincial housing election strategy, "A Doorway to Success: Housing with Supports” to make a commitment to housing, in particular housing with supports for people with mental health and addiction issues.

Housing with supports is critical for the recovery of people living with mental health and addiction issues. Research indicates that housing with supports not only contributes to good physical and mental health, but also improves quality of life. It is a cost effective solution which also helps to significantly reduce hospital utilization, and reduce pressure on the criminal justice system.

Despite the known benefits of housing with supports, many Ontarians with mental health and addiction issues are unable to access these services due to extensive wait lists, and a shortage of housing units across the province. In Toronto, wait lists have increased from 700 people to over 3,000 in only 1.5 years.

OFCMHAPs strategy calls on the government of Ontario to make a commitment to increase access to housing with supports for people with mental health and addiction issues to alleviate the rising wait lists across the province by:

• - Increasing the availability of high support housing to ensure a smoother transition back into the community and a better of quality of life for  persons in recovery


• - Guaranteeing a bank of rent supplements across Ontario to better support transitions to independent housing, increasing access to supportive housing for people who need it


• - Increasing the number of purpose-built housing units to provide better access to long-term supportive housing, and decreasing housing wait lists for people with mental health and addictions issues in the province.

A commitment from the government of Ontario to increase housing with supports will enable people with mental health and addiction issues to begin their road to recovery, and ensure greater access to services for those that need it.