1) Homelessness among women in Toronto is a significant issue, with domestic violence being a leading cause. Approximately 30% of women in shelters report experiencing domestic violence. 2) Homeless women face numerous health challenges including high rates of mental illness, substance abuse issues, malnutrition, diabetes, and STIs. Access to healthcare is difficult without identification or a primary doctor. 3) Services for the homeless population in Toronto include shelters, drop-in centers providing meals and support, and organizations like Sistering and Street Health that offer housing assistance, counseling, healthcare, job training, and harm reduction programs.

1. In researchingatopicto coverfor thisassignmentIdecidedtolookatthe homelessindoingsoIfound
some startlingstaticsregardinghomelessnessinwomeninthe Torontoareaso I decidedtolook
specificallyatthispopulationof the homeless.
I startedwithwhywomenbecome homelessasthatis the firstissue todeal with.Most womenendup
homelessbecauseof domesticviolence,andstayhomelessasaway of attemptingtostay safe.Itwas
reportedthat3 out of 10 womenwhostayedinsheltersreporteddomesticviolence tothe shelterstaff.
Otherreasonsthat were givenwere lowpayingjobsforwomen,noaccesstoreasonable safe childcare,
lack of affordable housing,government cutbacksof social assistance,slowlylosingeverythingdue to
substance use andsome reportedthatdue to mental illnesstheywere notable tomaintainreasonable
housing.Itwasalso statedthatthe numberof homelesswomenisunderestimatedandreporteddue to
the fact that some womenwill trytostay withfriendsorfamilybeforeaccessingshelters.
The most rapidlygrowingpopulationof homelessare families,singlemothers,immigrants,refugees,
seniorsandchildrenall of whichhave become the more visible homelessinrecentyearstothe point
that homelessnesshasbeendeclaredanatural disaster.
1. Approximately67%have substance abuse issues,thiscouldbe forvariousreasonssome
reportedthattheystartedto use to blockout the violence theywerelivingwithothersreportedusing
as a way to deal withpre-existingillness.
2. Anotherstatisticwasthatapproximately75% sufferwithaconcurrentdisorder.
The cause of thiscan be directlylinkedtothe factthat since 1999 psychiatricbedshave fell by80%. 3.
Rightnowin Torontothere are onlyapproximately385bedsavailable forabusedwomen.
It has beenestimatedthat300 babiesare bornyearlyto homelesswomenandteens;theyare
dischargedformhospitalswithnoware togo and noway of takingcare of theirchildren.These women
alsosufferfromcompactionsduringpregnancydue tounplannedpregnancy,violence theyare
subjectedto,lackof prenatal care andfood.
Homelesswomenwill alsosufferhigherlevelsof stressasmanyhave childrenintheircustodyandhave
to findsafe placesforthemto stay,theywill alsosufferfrommalnutritionastheywill regularlygo
hungryin an efforttofeedtheirchildren.
Some of these un-plannedpregnanciesare due towomenwhohave resortedto prostitutionasawayof
supportingthemselvesandtheirchildrenortheiraddiction.
Thisalsoopenswomenupto varioushealthissuessuchasvariousSTI’S,HIV/AIDS,
un-wantedpregnancynoaccesstobirthcontrol andmore violence.4It wasreportedthat 6 in 10
womenhave some formof an STI, andalmosthalf the womensurveyedreportedexperiencingphysical,
sexual andemotional abuse orhadbeenassaultedwithinthe lastyear.

2. The healthissuesfacinghomelesswomenare malnutrition,diabetes,hypertension,anemia,impetigo,
scabies/bodylice,tuberculosis,commoncolds/fluandlackof birthcontrol,variousrespiratoryillnesses
and gynaecological issuesnottomentionpremature death.Diabetesisone of the biggestissuesasmost
sheltersdonotallowneedlesinthemandaccessto suppliesneededsuchasinsulinthathomelesscan’t
afford.
Approximately54%of homelesswomenusedanemergencydepartmentwithinthe lastyearastheydo
not have regularfamilydoctorscausingthemtohave widelyscatteredmedical recordsmakinghardto
followuponongoingmedical issuesthatneedtobe monitoredanddealtwith.5it wasalso reported
that 40% or 4 in 10 do not have healthcardsor i.dcausinganotherissue inobtaininghealthcare.
The mental illnessthathomelesssufferfromincludesdepression,anxietydisorder,bipolardisorder,
schizophreniaandwill sometimespresentwithparanoidandavoidance behavioursjusttoname a few.
Some will alsohave undiagnosedillnesstherefore leadstounderutilizedpsychiatricservices.Notall
people sufferingfromthisillnessneedtobe hospitalizedbutthere isaproblemforthemobtaining
affordable housingandincome tomaintaintheirrequiredmedical treatmentssuchasprescriptions.Itis
alsoknownthat they will developasubstance addictiontomasksymptomsof mental illness.Mostof
these people are notable tomaintainemploymentaswell causingincome issues.
Thiswhole populationhasfewersocial,familyorcommunitysupportscausingthemtobe more isolated.
6 It was alsonotedthat29% of homelesswomenlastyearattemptedsuicide. InTorontoalone there
are 12 sheltersdedicatedtoabusedwomenandtheirneeds,8that focuson familiesand14 that are for
youthand theirneeds.Thatisnot including the shelterssetupformenonly.There isalso50 dropin
centersacrossToronto designedtoassistthe homelesswiththingslikeaccessingincomesupport
servicessuchasOntarioworks(welfare) ordisability.
One of the facilitiesIlookedatforthisassignmentiscalledSistering.Thisfacilityoffersvariousprograms
to womensuchas whattheycall case supportwhere there supportstaff will accompanywomentotheir
appointmentstohelpthemdeal withgovernmentservicessuchasOntarioWorks,re applyingforhealth
cards, immigration,andlegal appointments.Theywillalsoadvocate forthe womenandtheirrightto
serviceswithinthe community.Attheirdropintheyalsooffersupportandindividual aswellasgroup
counsellingdealingwithissuesaroundtraumaandviolence.Theyalsohave aprogram to assistin
findingandmaintaininghousingandalsoprovide longtermpermeanthousingthroughapartner
program theyare involvedinforwomen.
For womenthathave foundhousingtheyofferassistancewithlandlordandtenantissues/court.The
healthservicestheyofferare psychotherapy,referralstocommunityhealthcentersandclinics,public
healthnurse anddental referral toa dental school theyhave partneredwith.The meal programthey
offeraims to provide nutritiousmealstakingintoconsiderationhealthissuesthatthe womenmayhave
such as diabetes,hepc,hypertension,HIV/AIDSandpregnancy.Sisteringalsooffersemployment
servicestowomenthroughothercompaniestheyhave partneredwithtoteachwomenamarketable
skill onof these beingOnThe Paththat teachesindustrial sewingtowomenandholdscontractsforthe

3. womentowork forcompaniessuchas Comragsand Levi Strauss.SisteringalsohasEnglishasa second
language classesonsite dailyforwomen.
The other programI lookedatis calledStreetHealthandIwas surprisedbyall the programstheyoffer.
Theyhave a nursingprogram staffedbyvolunteerRN’sthatoperate scheduledclinicsandoutreach
programsto the homeless.CommunityMental Healthprogramthatprovidescase supportat2 dropin
centers.
CrisisOutreachServicesforSeniors(CROSS) isamobile crisisinterventionandoutreachprogramfor
seniors65+ thisrunssevendaysa weekandtheywill doinhome visits,dropincentersandcommunity
centervisitstoservice the needsof seniors.
The SaferStroll Projectisaimedat the sex workersitprovideseducationaroundhealthissuesthisgroup
faces,workshops,self defenseclasses,andemergencyresponseplanningthis isasheetthatthe women
wouldfill outlistingwhotocontact incase of an emergencyandif theyhave beenmissingforacertain
periodof time if theywantto be reportedas a missingpersontothe police,thisissetupwiththe
shelterthatthe women frequentthe mostandit issetup that if theyhave not checkedinfor5 days
theycan be reportedmissingtothe police.Thisisjusta few thingsofferedinthe saferstroll program.
Harm Reductionprogramwiththe aimto reduce druguse and education theyalsoprovide clean
needlesandsafe crackkitsto people.
Drug InfoProjectprovidesweeklydropinaccessto healthcare workersandsocial workers,housing
help,educationarounddrugsanddrugrelatedissues,healthyfoodandreferralstoocommunity
services.
I.D Replacementprogramhelpshomelesstore obtainneedi.dsuchas healthcards,birthcertificates
etc.
I.D Safe isa program where the homelesscanmake arrangementstostore theiri.dandimportant
documentssotheywon’thave to worryaboutthembeinglostor stolen.
Mail Service providesthe homelesswithanaddresstoreceive mail atandsomeone toreceive itfor
themthisalsohelpsthemwithanaddressif theyare lookingtosecure employmentorgovernment
assistance.
Clothing/SleepingBagDistributionprovidescleanclothesandsleepingbagstothose inneedof them.
I am sure there are probablymore agenciesliketheseinTorontobutthese were the onlytwoIcould
findinformationon.Iwassurprisedatthe extentof the servicesofferedbythemandall the different
areas theyattempttocover inassistingthe homelessandhow fartheyhave gone to try to remove as
manybarriersas theycan to allowthe homelesstoaccessservices.

4. REFRENCES
StreetHealth-- http://www.streethealth.ca/home.htm
http://www.streethealth.ca/Downloads/SafeStroll2010.pdf
HealthStatusof HomelessWomen-
http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/mon/6000/10315600.pdf
#’s 1 – 6 are facts andpercentfromthisarticle
Sistering-- http://www.sistering.org/index.php
Cityof Toronto2012 guide toservicesforpeople whoare homeless --
http://www.toronto.ca/housing/guidetoservices/index.htm