As of November, 2011 – over 260 people now have homes.

The Montreal research project is investigating the different services provided to homeless people in that city.

Montreal is Canada’s second largest city, and is North America’s largest French-speaking city. A 1996 survey showed there were 12,000 homeless people in Montreal. More recent estimates put that number anywhere from 28,000-30,000.

There is definite interest in the MHCC project from local researchers and service agencies, and discussions are underway in terms of collaboration.

There are elements unique to the Montreal project:

(1) An experimental group will compare the effectiveness of social housing combined with intensive case management, to the “ Streets to Homes” approach
(a choice of independent apartments combined with the same intensive case management);

(2) There will be an analysis to compare how service users perceive different types of independent apartments and various types of social housing.

(3) A sub-study will help determine the extent to which it is possible to help a homeless population with moderate needs, enter the regular labour market when this population is housed and provided with intensive care management.

(4) The project includes a mechanism to ensure that participants will significantly influence how the project is conducted. The impact of this mechanism on the decisions made throughout the course of the project will be evaluated. This sub-study is also designed to strengthen the capacity of homeless people living with a mental illness to contribute to the development of the services and studies that concern them.

(5) Original ways of disseminating the Montreal project results are being considered, including a theatrical production or a documentary film on the experience of participants throughout the project.

Research partners:
Institut universitaire en santé mentale Douglas
Centre affilié universitaire (CAU) – Centre de santé et services sociaux (CSSS) Jeanne-Mance
Programme intervention et recherches psycauses – Diogène
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Le Centre de recherche de Montréal sur les inégalités sociales (CREMIS)
Le Collectif de recherche sur l’itinérance (CRI)

Other partners:
Le Centre Dollard-Cormier – IUD
Le Réseau alternatif et communautaire des organismes en santé mentale (RACOR)
Le centre de recherche Fernand-Séguin
Hôpital Louis-H. Lafontaine
Centre universitaire de santé McGill (CUSM)
St-Mary’s Hospital Center
Government of Canada/Gouvernement du Canada