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“womb .. . unisex _ C 0 M I N G S 0 0 N I " i 1 . i it ‘ ‘ f r. l i a ' , ; D, t . . In I . 1 Th . ° ' y e waiting game. Mental health and addictions } a I, t o l l o I o I 0 lo I W I l R o n l Bv Marissa Mumv years. according to Helen Fiahbum. director of services for I ._ AH,__M"LEM____ theCnnadhnMentanenlthAssociationWatedooWelling- ton and Duflerin and Here 24/7. tam take5.000daysormomthan l3ymisforpeopletofind Here24l7actsasacentnl intakepoint [or lOdiflerent housingwithtxiilt-inrnentalhealthandaddicrions agenciesdizzgmvrdementalhedthmdoddiaionspm- support mFOr ofthenudiereuemwaltirglhuatallfiome , Having already received two ewction notices. Christine of those include prom-urns for eatingdisorders. early psy- i)ahmer can't wait that long. diode and addictionsumnselling programs at St. Mary's She lives just a few doors down from Supportive Housing 7 “We can facilitate than referrals and five them an ofWaterloo (Si l()W) and is waiting for an accessible home appointment date for that program." she said. in its 30-unit building. "Andihenwehave ourlonglongwlita" Shr- has been told the wait could be six years. maybe even is. " The longest waits are for the Assertive CommunityTreat- longt'r. ‘ merit Teams. Support Co-ordination for mental health and “I could be living in my car by that time.~ she said. housing, ‘ She currently pays $745 per month for her apartment At “And they’re not pmtty." Fishburn said. SI It “AZ she'd pay rust under $480 For long-term housing for mental health. there are 412 “It's scary. very scary because I‘ve nt-vcr been homeless people waiting and the average wait is 5.000 days. People before, I don't want to lost- everything I own and I'm scared waiting for substance abuse residential treatment. on aver- to death." she said age. will wait 1,100 days I )ahmer suffers from deprt-ssion and anxiety. as well as For the Assertive Community Treatment Team. which arthritis, all of Whlt’h tan leave hr-r bod-ridden And working provides intensive support throud’i a mold-disciplinary part -IIII’N' isn‘t paymg the bills team for people with serious and persistent mental illnesses. "I‘m in pain when I work. but it I don‘t. I‘m going to be like schizophrenia. people will waltGSBdays in unvlt-ss and I'm t-oristantly strt-sst‘d about it," she said. “Those top three programs they support the people After working full llmt‘ as a law ( Icrit for fit) years, sick -‘ that have the most significant needs in oiircomrnum'ry and days rtlInl‘tl ht'r can-or the irony there is how long those folks have to wait for sup- 'I used to he and say it was something different than . _ , ' . port; that's reallyourAChllles beet.‘ Mb“!!! Hid. tit-pri-ssion |usi because I was embarrassed and people don't 0mm Dahmer, WU”? with h“ d°9 Abby. 3 “mm m A number of criteria determine someone‘s place on a understand It's hard. you don't even want to get out of bed,” a ”n" at SUM"? Housing °l Watevloo. She W °" ‘M h“ waiting list. including lltheyhave an active addiction. are shi- said "m “emu” “6 could w‘“ “p to seven more m” homeless or have attempted suicide. ‘I used to worry so much about feeling guilty I was off mum any were "Mental health and addictions is not a first-come. first work that I would gi-t physrt'al symptoms as well. It's like served priority. lt's all timed on how urgent a person's needs 4 quit ksand You lust can't get out o! it ' l‘hcrc are 12 people on SllOW's waiting list for those 19 are." she said. 1 \i st it M1 there is a range of support st-rvm-s [or people supportive units. and average wait times are about the To help with thewaitinglists. Fishbum said mental 1 struggling with mental health and addictions issues. Accord years H)! Dahmer, the wait is even longer because she's health and addictions program for adults are currently ( rug to ( mtg l‘t'tlwu it. program manager (or Sm )W. scmccs looking for an accessible unit. undergoing a review. including how to make programs morr' 4 It“ Iudr- (This managr-mcnt, mt'ntal hr-alth and addictions tn the five years that SHOW has been open. more than flexible to reach more people. It also looks to decrease I “unwilling, wi-Ilnt-ss (halts. harm reduction and mort- hallof the building's original tenants still live there. dependency on certain types of services to make morn for 1 more an- Ihu-c different waiting lists for SHOW. one for But the": are wait times that surpass even SHOW's. others 1 people on the rtgion‘s affordable homing waiting list who There am much longer wait times for theWaterloo ‘1hat's going to have a significant impact on the wait 1 need support. one for eight units for people on Waterloo Wellington local Health Integration Network’s housing pro- lists." she said. 4 Rr-gjonal Homes for Mental Health's list. and one for three grams for people with mental health issues and addictions Each year. $53 million is spent on mental health and 1 units wuh Add“ lions Support Housing mou- wait times can be up to 5,000 days. or more than l3 addictions are and services In Waterloo Wellington. 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