Hastings County services are targeting youth homelessness and Indigenous homelessness according to a report to Hastings County council on Thursday.
Council heard a report from Steve van de Hoef, program manager for Bridge Street United Church, on three homeless enumerations carried out over the last three years.
Van de Hoef says it’s not just housing that needs to be looked at, but also coordinated service delivery and integration across the system.
“Mental health issues were very common, 70% or so of folks, followed by substance use just less than two-thirds, also medical condition and other challenges that individuals face.”
Centre Hastings Mayor Tom Deline said he hoped the county would come up with a proposal that deals with the fact some people can’t be housed and how to help those people.
“Hopefully we can come up with a proposal that you got the details of why some people can’t even be housed and how do we help those people who could be housed because that I think is the important part.”
The report showed that 60% of those enumerated were considered chronically homeless.
The survey had shown an over-representation of Indigenous People among the homeless in this area.
