Four new case workers could soon be helping the most vulnerable people in Stratford, thanks to a partnership between the City, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and Optimism Place. The best part, all the positions are being funded through grants from the Ontario government.
On Tuesday, the Social Services Sub-Committee met and a couple of presentations were presented by Alex Burgess Stratford’s Ontario Works manager. Both recommended actions from the presentation included entering a partnership with the organization to provide housing-based case management services across Stratford, St. Marys, and Perth County.
“You’ll see that what we are doing is updating what we call the shattered site component of the Intensive Case Management Program,” said Burgess. “So what this is, funding provides two full-time equivalent case managers that work for CMHA, and they will carry between 12 and 15 participants. Their caseload could be individuals experiencing homelessness up to individuals who are housed. They will work with people who are homeless all the way until that person is housed and discharged from the program.”
The program has been in place since 2018, but there are components to the recommendation.
The first is that two case workers from CMHA will handle the case load of 12-15 people. The agreement will provide $150,000 for the two workers. This part of the agreement will be funded by the Homelessness Prevention Program funding received from the Government of Ontario.
The second component will be an agreement with the Stratford Connection Centre for a case worker who will focus on housing. The agreement will provide $60,940.50 for the case worker, with Ontario Works providing 100 percent of the funding from the Ontario government
The recommendation was approved by Councillor Lesley Biehn, and seconded by Coun. Harjinder Nijjar, before being approved unanimously.
The sub-committee then turned their attention to a three year agreement with Optimism Place. The agreement provides $75,000 for one case manager who will help with housing with a focus on those who have experienced intimate partner violence. Funding for the program is coming from the Homelessness Prevention Program funding received from the Government of Ontario.
“What we are trying to do is match individuals who meet the mandate of the organizations we are working with where possible,” said Burgess. “So for people who identify mental health and or addictions as barriers to housing we will try to attach them with CMHA. Similarly for Optimism Place, we will try to attach them with someone who is in their care who has experienced intimate partner violence.”
Councillors approved all the recommendations with Optimism Place unanimously.
The role of the Social Services Sub-committee is to meet and discuss matters relating to policy development in the areas of Ontario Works, children’s services, the Anne Hathaway Daycare Centre, as well as housing and homelessness.
The next steps in the process will see the sub-committee report come to the Social Services committee, which if approved will then bring the recommendations back to full Stratford council at a later date.
