Ottawa Inner City Health

Transcription

1 Ottawa Inner City Health Inc Ottawa Inner City Health ANNUAL REPORT 2014

2 A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD brought many challenges to Ottawa Inner City Health, Inc but also many opportunities which allow us to provide better services to the homeless of Ottawa. We are extremely fortunate to have so many strong and vibrant partners who work with us year in and out. We are equally fortunate to have the opportunity to meet and work with new organizations and collaborate on new programs. The strength and stability of our relationships with our existing partners and the opportunity to learn and innovate with our new keeps us engaged and open to new and better ways of doing our work together. We have always known that Ottawa Inner City Health, Inc could not exist without the partners and so we want to take the opportunity to thank them all for their openness and generosity. A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Every day we are grateful to our clients for trusting us and allowing us to help them be healthier, happier people. Homelessness, as everything is bring to their lives imposes a terrible price on their health and even their life expectancy. It is our job, as their health care providers, not only to reduce the impact of homelessness on their health but, to turn the tide so that success in housing is not only possible but highly likely. Part of this job is ours-at a minimum we must develop effective systems of care and make sure that our clients receive the same, or better health care than other Canadians. As an organization, we try to reflect the voices of the people we work for in every aspect of our work. It is not enough to accept our current state; homelessness is a terrible thing and, not something we can accept just because we work for the homeless. The fight for better health for our clients is also the fight for housing, a fight against poverty, discrimination and, a fight for equity. Our clients deserve nothing less from us. Our Partners University of Ottawa CMHA Ottawa Public Health Carefor Salvation Army YSB The Ottawa Hospital Options Bytowne Champlain-CCAC Sandy Hill CHC Shepherds of Good Hope Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Group OUR PARTNERS Cornerstone Ottawa Paramedics Ottawa Police Service Medical Pharmacy Somerset West CHC Centretown CHC Centre 454 Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health Ottawa Mission John Howard Society

3 Ottawa Inner City Health Inc. aims to improve the health and access to health care for people who are chronically homeless. Our main function is to coordinate and integrate health care services so that homeless individuals can receive the same quality of health care as other Canadians. Health issues, while homeless are often complicated by the lack of housing, family support and care. In response, OICH has special health care units which are located within local homeless shelters creating a safe environment where health care can be provided. These special units are staffed by personal support workers and supported by visiting nurses and doctors. They are operated through a partnership between the shelters. This model has been well accepted by homeless clients and supports health outcomes which are comparable to the Canadian standard.

4 BOOTH HOUSE Booth House provides supported housing for formerly homeless senior women. In a recent evaluation of the Booth House program, the women identified that having the opportunity to live in a normal community and to have close friends had transformed their lives. Staff working in the shelter based programs are often surprised and delighted to see women who struggled in the shelter environment regain social and life skills once housed at Booth House. The Booth House environment balances the close supportive community atmosphere with respect for privacy and the need to control your own living space which neutralizes many of the challenges which led these women to become homeless. OUR PROGRAMS THE DIANE MORRISON HOSPICE The Diane Morrison Hospice is the only residential hospices for the homeless in Canada. With 14 beds, it is also the largest in Ontario which reflects the realities of the impact of homelessness on the health of our folks. As we have gained better control over infectious diseases, we are now grappling with how to reduce the suffering of people who live for long periods with several chronic diseases. Our plans for the upcoming year include opening a new program for chronic palliative care to provide better care and a better quality of life to our clients. PRIMARY CARE CLINIC The primary care clinic is open 7 days a week to provide accessible health care to homeless people without easy access to family medical care. In addition to primary care, the clinic also hosts an HIV clinic and mental health clinic. Our amazing team of nurse practitioners not only run the primary care clinic but, visit people in shelters who need care but are unable to attend the clinic. This flexible, patient centered approach to health care not only improves the health of homeless people but, has been highly effective in reducing unnecessary emergency room visits.

5 SPECIAL CARE FOR MEN Located on the 3rd floor of the Salvation Army Booth Centre, Special Care for Men provides a supported environment for those with complex health needs. In addition to its original mandate as a step up-step down unit for men needing care in a hospital, the Special Care Unit for Men has accepted referral for the men exiting the TED program. Although adjusting to a population who tend to have unstable mental health and substance use has been challenging to staff and other residents, seeing the impact of treatment and care on our men is more than gratifying. In the upcoming year, many of the men who graduated from TED to Special Care for Men will be moving into units through the City of Ottawa Housing First initiatives. TED Targeted Engagement and Diversion (TED), continues to grow and improve. This year we added 24 hour nursing to our interdisciplinary staff team. This change now allows us to directly accept the transfer of patients from Ottawa Paramedics. The success of the TED program has far exceeded our expectations and, we never fail to be amazed at the resilience of our clients and, their ability to move forward despite the challenges of life. SPECIAL CARE FOR WOMEN Special Care for Women provides treatment, care and support from a team of nurses, doctors, client care workers, peer worker and case managers to 16 women who are homeless and living with complex health needs. Located in the basement of the Shepherds of Good Hope, the lavender walls of the unit represent the inner beauty of the ladies who reside there. Although many of the women are struggling with life when they arrive in Special Care, most rapidly start setting and working towards goals which will improve their lives. The ladies of Special Care include women from every age group, cultural group and background imaginable but, one of the things which is so special about them is their ability to not only help themselves but each other. As a group they support each other during the bad days and celebrate the good ones. We love the sisterhood of Special Care for Women.

6 MANAGED ALCOHOL The Managed Alcohol Program operates true to its name by providing an opportunity for people who are struggling with out of control alcohol addiction to stabilize through regular alcohol administration. This approach has proven to be highly effective for both those wanting short term intervention and those wanting a future which includes access to stable alcohol management. As a low barrier program, the Managed Alcohol program tries to include individuals who are at greatest risk of harm of excessive alcohol consumption. The Managed Alcohol program is truly a program of transformation-often staff cannot even recognise a client after a short time in the programdramatic changes to appearance, outlook on life and behavior never fail to surprise and delight everyone who is working with them. OAKS The Oaks provides supported housing to formerly homeless people from a wide range of backgrounds. As program for managed alcohol graduates, the Oaks provides harm reduction housing in addition to serving seniors with complex health needs and people living with mental illness. The Oaks family includes not only the people who live there but an amazing group of volunteers who work very hard to make living at the Oaks a very special experience. The Oak s provides people who have intense support needs, including physical frailty, with the opportunity to live life in a normal community and, to feel part of that community. The Oak s is probably the favorite place for our many visitors from other communities and other countries to visit. The residents are warm and welcoming to our visitors and never fail to advocate for the need for similar kinds of programming in other communities for people like them.

7 DECEASED CLIENTS Remembering those we have lost This year we were particularly saddened by the loss of many of the long time clients of Ottawa Inner City Health, Inc. Although in many instances, these were people referred to us ten years ago for end of life care; we celebrate their amazing ability to outlive any prediction and miss their capacity to embrace life in its fullest. Michael Kilabuk Alexandra Dawson John Bles Karen Charbonneau Mario Myre Martin Brian Smith Ron Kuno John O Shea Peter Phillips Marino Krasevac Steven Barber Diane Berube Ambrose Aggek Bonnie Putinski Taina Ipeelie Ann Spencer Pierre Lacelle Chris Hanson Sheepa Qaqqasiq Bryan Costolloe Mark Sparky Taylor Marty Gendron Brian Weatherall Kevin Wade Rene Wilkinson James Arthur Tim Renaud

8 PAMELA JACK I ve been here at Booth for about 3 months. Before that, I was at a shelter. It was really hard to be at the shelter; it was so depressing. Since I ve been here, my health has improved so much. They really work with you here...and they have been so helpful and friendly. They listen to me and provide support when I need it. Kerry the CCW in particular has been great to me. She helps me understand complicated health issues and provides a lot of support. My life here is a lot more balanced. I m very happy. JAMIE SULLIVAN I felt very lost in my life before I came to Inner City. I felt no purpose, was getting into a lot of trouble and I was extremely unhealthy and at a very low weight. Things have changed so much. I got put on the right psych meds, my antidepressant, and my lifestyle is a lot different now. I am at a much healthier weight, I m much more stable and I feel much healthier. Inner city has helped me reach a lot of goals. I feel like my life is finally going somewhere. Through Inner City and CMHA, they helped me get housing through John Howard Society. I see my life in one year being stable. I never would have felt that before.