Deinstitutionalization in Canada: A Look at the Intersection of Homelessness and Mental Illness 50 Years Later

Presentation Summary: This presentation will examine the historical context of deinstitutionalization in relation to homelessness in Canada, and how contemporary policy and intervention aim to remedy problems traceable back to that movement. Drawing from a medley of community-based studies focused on homeless services, supportive housing, and Housing First in Canada and beyond, the presentation will discuss how proposed and implemented approaches risk producing some of the same effects, from stigma to the institutional circuit, that were central to what occurred with deinstitutionalization many decades ago. Being mindful of this important historical context, evidence-informed solutions for preventing and reducing homelessness among people with mental illness in Canada will lastly be proposed.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Nick Kerman is a Clinical Psychologist and mixed-methods researcher specializing in homelessness, supportive housing, and community mental health. He holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Ottawa. As a researcher affiliated with the University Health Network…