Housing basics: a roof over your head
It’s something we all probably take for granted: waking up in a warm bed in a house.
It is a crucial part of your life; it is the base which allows you to carry out all of your activities throughout the day, from life necessities to extra-curricular activities. Not having a place to curl up every night and get a few comfortable zzzz’s dramatically impairs a person’s ability to do even the basic tasks that promote a healthy lifestyle.
CUPS has a commitment to get every one of its clients into a stable living situation. We’ve talked in the past about the relationships and work that goes into getting someone off the street.
But helping someone off the street and into stable housing isn’t a simple process. It’s a long, hard grind for the person — and the CUPS team — working to make it happen. And it doesn’t always work the first time.
Housing First
CUPS Calgary gets its direction for its housing program from the Federal Government’s Housing First principles.
These principles include:
Helping the clients locate and secure permanent housing as rapidly as possible
Making sure the clients have a choice in housing and service options
Housing is not a condition of the client accepting or maintaining housing
Ensuring the clients understand their rights and responsibilities
Integrating housing into the community
The program’s goal is to make sure they are self-sufficient
“You can’t do anything without a roof over your head,” says Janine Johnson, a Case Manager for one of the housing programs at CUPS.
A different journey for everyone
The CUPS program is set up for individuals and families to graduate, but that process doesn’t look the same for everyone.
Demian* has been with the CUPS housing program since October 2020. Homeless since he was 16 or 17, he’s deaf and mute and suffers from suspected fetal alcohol syndrome. It wasn’t until he finally landed in the CUPS program that things started to come together.
Janine, one of our CUPS Case Managers, was able to get him a referral for occupational therapists and a deaf interpreter so they could do a proper assessment. CUPS helped Demian apply for Assured Income for Severely Handicapped (AISH) in November of 2021, with his acceptance coming through just this past February. This long, but important, step has Demian finally set up with basic financial support.
But even with this support, Demian struggled. When he was first placed in housing, he was evicted after only 20 days. He has spent time in prison and is still working to handle a more stable living environment.
A year and a half later, Demian will likely not graduate from the CUPS housing program anytime soon, but he’s finding his way forward.
Graduating forward with resilience
When a client can successfully find a stable situation, we work hard to graduate them from the program.
To graduate, the client must be in:
Permanent supportive housing OR
Living in the community. All they need from CUPS is a subsidy and they can manage their bills.
Janine points to one client who graduated in October of 2021.
This client was a carpenter who struggled with mental health and lived in the Drop-In Centre for eight years. Things started to turn around when he was accepted into the CUPS housing program. Since then, he has found housing, learned how to budget correctly and was able to get diagnosed as bipolar. He no longer drinks, uses drugs or smokes and will be able to access his pension this year. All of this change happened in a two-year time frame.
CUPS will continue to act as a safety net if he or any other graduated client needs them again.
You can’t do anything without a roof over your head
Janine sees the struggle the clients face daily. Many of them spend a lot of time on the streets, struggle with their mental health and don’t know how to get themselves into a situation where they can have a roof over their head. There are too many barriers for one to overcome, especially if they don’t have a base like a house.
But even when they get assistance, their problems aren’t over.
Janine says it’s not uncommon for her to rehouse people three to four times before finding the right spot. There have been times she’s housed a client, only to have them self-sabotage and get evicted.
It’s the long haul and setting someone up for success with a house is only one part of the important integrated care process. So while CUPS works to get a roof over their heads, we are also providing health and mental health support, family development coaches, care coordination and more.
Finding a strong, resilient path forward is a team effort…one that often starts with a home.
*Name has been changed