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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 23, 2013 | 22 Lighthouse shelter is ready to add beds by Julia Le Metroland Media West Housing options are often limited for homeless people who have serious mental health issues and addiction problems, a Halton regional report revealed. The demand for a place to stay often outweighs the supply, with only four beds available in Halton for this "hard-to-house client group" through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Halton partners with CMHA In an effort to tackle the issue, Halton Region is partnering with CMHA to develop and implement a Safebeds program at the Salvation Army's Lighthouse Shelter in Oakville. The details of this partnership were revealed through the report prepared by Halton Region's social and community services department and supported by the Region's health and social services committee at its meeting Tuesday. Program ready to move ahead The plan will now go before Regional council for final approval on Wednesday, May 29. If it gets a green light, the program will move ahead. The Oakville shelter, located at Redwood Square, is poised to open an additional 10 beds that will be exclusively available to individuals with mental health and addiction issues. CMHA staff will be added Screening and admissions for the use of the beds will be done by CMHA, which will be funding the project and providing on-site, 24-hour counselling permanently through two staff members. These counsellors will also be available to support the Salvation Army's other shelter clients who are housed in the existing 30 emergency beds at the Lighthouse Shelter, which is operated by the Salvation Army and Halton Region.