We are designing a Coordinated Access toolkit for rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
Coordinated Access is a systems-based approach to combating homelessness. It streamlines service provision and formalises collaboration between service providers, aiming to increase access to services used by people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Service providers share a centralized database and meet regularly to discuss clients’ needs.
Coordinated Access improves collaboration between social service providers and mainstream services (e.g., policing, healthcare, education). This multi-sector collaboration strengthens data collection to understand the key populations experiencing homelessness in communities across Turtle Island/Canada.
Urban centres are ahead of the game with respect to Coordinated Access. They often have more resources and funding available. We research how Coordinated Access can improve service coordination, accessibility and delivery in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
We consult experts in the homelessness field: social service providers, Elders, and people with lived/living expertise of homelessness. Our expert participants are involved in every step of the way, from information sharing to the review of the toolkit.
Our project outcome is a toolkit containing a step-by-step guide on implementing Coordinated Access for rural, remote, and Indigenous service communities, so that smaller communities can begin or streamline their Coordinated Access system. We also provide training materials and a guide to systems mapping.
The knowledge of social service providers, Elders, and people with lived/living expertise of homelessness make this project possible. If you'd like to connect to discuss how to participate or get involved, please email Diahann Polege-Aulotte, project manager.
