Collaborative Care

March 2024

This quarter, we’re sharing updates on our current initiatives. We hope you will continue to reach out with any questions, concerns or feedback so we can work together to keep our community supported and housed. 

Collaborative Care   

At the Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre (PARC), we recognize the significance of providing immediate support to homeless individuals with mental illnesses. For this reason, we have adopted the evidence-based Housing First Approach, which prioritizes recovery for tenants by granting them immediate access to financial assistance for rent and mental health support services.  To further this approach, we have established the Collaborative Care Case Management team which includes a team of experts who work towards the common goal of stabilizing our clients’ tenancy. Our Collaborative Care Team is funded by the City of Toronto, and our mandate is to provide Case Management follow-up support to tenants who have been recently housed through the Coordinated Access to Housing & Supports.  

Living on the streets can be incredibly difficult and can often lead to mental health concerns. For many people who have experienced homelessness, hoarding can become an issue. Those with hoarding tendencies may struggle to part with their possessions due to a compulsion to hold onto them. This can lead to significant distress when they try to declutter, ultimately leading to the decision to keep everything. Unfortunately, this can lead to severe problems such as cluttered living spaces that disrupt their ability to use their homes and can even lead to fire hazards or pest infestations. Our team offers short-term case management services for 12-16 months, during which we work with tenants to help them stabilize their tenancy. If longer-term support is needed to address hoarding or other issues, we then refer them to partner agencies that can provide additional help. Our goal is to empower people to take control of their lives and live in a safe, healthy environment.  

Our team’s case managers conduct assessments to understand individual needs, strengths, and challenges. We collaborate with members, healthcare professionals, families, and supporting agencies to develop personalized care plans with specific goals and interventions. Our collaborative care team then coordinates community resources and connects people with essential services such as financial assistance, transportation, medical, mental health, housing, and other social services to ensure a wrap-around and holistic care model. Our staff advocates for individual rights and preferences within systems and institutions (I.E healthcare, the criminal justice system, and more) to stay client centered.  

What does the Collaborative Approach Look Like?    

PARC has started a project to improve the building by replacing the windows at 1501. This has meant moving tenants out of their apartments, which was a challenge, especially for those who collect or have hoarding tendencies.

Debora, the hoarding support specialist, played a crucial role in helping tenants who had lived in their units for 25 years move out. She used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and her skills in hoarding support to help them through the process with kindness.  

Debora understood how difficult moving can be, so she provided emotional support to the tenants without judging them. Her approach made it easier for them to move and helped the project run smoothly. The window replacement project met all its goals and deadlines. 

Information and feedback 

We engage with our community in many ways, if you would like to receive more information or send us email, we have the following options: 

We update our website (parc.on.ca) on a regular basis and each ‘Quarterly’ will be available at:
https://parc.on.ca/parc-housing  

You can subscribe to our monthly E-newsletter with news, events and updates from PARC at:
https://parc.on.ca/our-community/parc-e-news  

For questions or comments, please email info@parc.on.ca – this inbox is monitored regularly.