preliminary overview_iris court_july 2008

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Iris Court93 Street and 107A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta

Supported Independent Living for Personswith Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Preliminary Overview

In March of 2008, the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta (SSA) acquired funding throughthe Edmonton Housing Trust Fund (now Homeward Trust) to purchase three vacant lotsin the McCauley neighbourhood and design blueprints to construct an affordable,supportive living facility for persons with schizophrenia and other related disorders.

The SSA is a registered charity with more than 28 years of experience serving this clientgroup in the Edmonton community. Plans are now underway to raise the balance offunds needed for construction, with a goal to open the facility in 2010.

Meeting the NeedFor persons with schizophrenia and other severe and persistent mental illness, stable,

affordable and supportive housing can have a profound effect on quality of life; includingreduction in symptoms and ultimately in health care utilization. According to the NationalMental Health Strategy (1994), housing is considered the most crucial communitysupport service necessary to achieve the success of the policy of providing communitybased care for people with a mental illness.

The majority of people with schizophrenia and other severe and persistent mental illnessliving in Alberta rely on Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) as theirprimary source of income. Edmontons booming economy and housing market hasresulted in increased difficulty in finding affordable and suitable housing. For individualsliving with schizophrenia, this challenge is compounded by the daily challenges causedby the illness.

In the 2007 study, Housing for Persons with Mental Illness: Understanding TheirExperiences, funded by the Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing andconducted by the SSA the following important conclusions were drawn.

Interviewees expressed housing concerns that fell into the following categories:(1) Income and Financial Stability. Interviewees mostly relied on income support (suchas AISH) or a pension due to a diagnosis of mental illness, and/or part time or temporarywork, and many reported that the amount received was inadequate to provide them withappropriate housing. Many were forced to live in the inner city, in shoddy and run


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down housing, where they were vulnerable to victimization and where support serviceswere lacking.(2) Housing Support Services. Interviewees called for a continuum of support service

levels, individualized according to (sometimes fluctuating) needs. Interviewees thoughtthat those who work with the mentally ill need to have more appropriate training andflexible attitudes, and that they should facilitate skill and responsibility building inmentally ill persons where possible.(3) Home and Social Environment. A safe and healthy home environment with areasonable measure of privacy, positive peer relationships, and suitable options forrecreational, vocational or personal time during the day was seen as ideal. A

harmreduction approach to smoking, drinking and drug use was favored over

zerotolerance policies. Family involvement in residents lives was also seen as a

necessary part of building stability in a housing situation.(4) Health and Social Services. Interviewees expressed a need for coordinatedmanagement of care services for the whole person provided by understandingprofessionals continuously from the hospital to the community (and back) based onneed. Interviewees also commented that sufficient legal mechanisms needed to be inplace to help the family intervene to prevent deterioration in their loved ones.(5) Additional Concerns. Other difficulties related to housing for the mentally ill were thehigh demand for this kind of housing (with few options and a long waiting list), caregiverstress and burnout, difficulties caused by the nature of mental illness and its treatment,

stigma, and the few options available for the especially hardtohouse (e.g. those with a

dual diagnosis).

The study concluded that more research is needed, but the findings suggest that areassessment of Edmontons current housing and support system with an eye toproviding safe, affordable housing with flexible and comprehensive care for the whole

person could go a long way towards providing stable, long term housing options for the

mentally ill.

Edmonton Community Plan on Homelessness Priorities Being AddressedThis project addresses the following priorities outlined in the Community Plan Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing (January 2005):

Long-term Housing3. Develop 1,300 Long-term Supportive Housing UnitsSingles and childless couples:Persons w. mental illness/dual diagnosis congregate housing

Persons w. mental illness/dual diagnosis supervised apts.

5. Develop 700 Affordable Housing UnitsSingles and childless couples:

New construction studio, bachelor and one bdr. units

Site LocationThe SSA has acquired three vacant lots located at 9336, 9338, 9342 107A AvenueNW, Edmonton. The combined lots are 12,200 square feet (0.11 ha) in size.


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ZoningThe site is zoned as RA7 (Low Rise Apartment Zone). The site is located adjacent tolands zoned commercial to the north and west, business industrial uses to the east and

residential uses (zoned RA7 and RF6) to the south of the site.

Primary Client Groups ServedThis housing project is aimed at serving low income individuals with mild to moderateschizophrenia and/or individuals with mild to moderate chronic and persistent mentalillness. The SSA is currently developing a supportive living model which will provideongoing care and necessary supports to the residents. The objective of the model will beto allow clients meaningful independence, while providing necessary day-to-day support.


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Activities and Timelines

Activity Deliverable Timeline for Completion

Land Acquisition 3 lots are purchased March 2008Environmental Assessment,demolition and landpreparation

Land is ready forconstruction to begin

August 2008

Community Consultation Liaison with relevantstakeholders

September 2008

Design & Blueprints Finalized February 2009Supported IndependentLiving Program

Development andfinalization

February 2009

Client recruitment Awareness and referrals health care professionals,related agencies

October 2009

Construction Completion May 2010Facility Opening Clients move in June 2010Operations Ongoing evaluations and

monitoringOngoing


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Unsung Heroes ProgramThe SSAs Unsung Heroes program provides mutual peer support andrecreational opportunities for people who experience schizophrenia and relateddisorders. Program components include:

Monthly group meetings;

Monthly outings;

Annual camp retreat;

Participatory research; Participation in arts programming;

One-on-one support.

Family Support ProgramThe SSAs Family Support program provides support for families who have a

member diagnosed with, or showing symptoms of schizophrenia or a relateddisorder. Support minimizes stress for the family and ultimately reduces theoverall cost of care. Quality of life is improved for the person with schizophreniaand his/her loved ones.

Partnership ProgramThe SSAs Partnership Program provides public education on the impact thatschizophrenia has on the lives of those affected. The program aims to reducesocial stigma of severe and persistent mental illness. The Partnership Programalso provides an employment opportunity for people with schizophrenia andrelated disorders.

Peer Support Outreach ProgramAvailable in the Calgary Health Region, the Peer Support Outreach programprovides peer support to people with schizophrenia and related disorders whoare in difficulty due to the disorder. The program also offers employmentopportunities for people with schizophrenia living successfully in the community.

Contact Us!

Provincial Office:#309, 8989 MacLeod Trail South, Calgary, AB T2H 0M2

Phone: (403) 264-5161 Fax: 1-866-273-1780

www.schizophrenia.ab.ca

Registered Charity # 13048-5816RR0001

preliminary overview_iris court_july 2008

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