77 days have passed since the first “Mayors Roundtable” and the second meeting already shows progress after Tuesday’s announcement.
Many topics were discussed at the first meeting, including addiction, homelessness, mental health, discarded sharps, poverty and the challenges that these issues bring to a community. A “Mayors Roundtable Action Team” was created and a collaborative plan involving the creation of a new transitional housing stabilization centre was unveiled to assist those who are at-risk or already homeless.
“We have done some very innovative work in the last 77 days,” said Mary Davis, Co-chair of the Roundtable and Executive Director of Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services. “It has been creative, partners have come together and it has been unprecedented. We have a very good plan and we think this housing model will be the answer to solving the issues brought up at the roundtable.”
The new transitional housing stabilization centre is designed to provide mental health and addiction housing supports and social services under one roof so that those in need of assistance or who are in crisis will have a 24/7 point of access and will no longer be required to visit different locations across the city.
“There are so many different scenarios,” Davis explained. “Homelessness is an issue, addiction is an issue, and mental health is an issue. There are waiting lists, and extreme situations for people where they find themselves homeless and each person is different so we need to have out of the box thinking to try and resolve those issues.”
“This is a model to put everything under one roof,” Davis continued. “When an individual enters the building, they will be seen and their issues addressed at one location.”
As of now, a location is being worked on, and an announcement will be coming soon according to Davis. The transitional housing will tentatively open mid-2020.
“I am beyond amazed at the work that has gone into this,” Davis stated. “I am so proud to be a part of this group that did this.”
“I would like to applaud all of the hard work that’s taken place since the first roundtable meeting in September,” said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald. “This group has, in very short order, responded to a need in the community. This plan sets the stage for continued collaboration and long-term solutions to these very difficult challenges.”
