Background
The Toronto Mental Health and Addictions Supportive Housing Network (TMHASHN), is a network of organizations that provide supportive housing, as well as affiliated members, who share a common desire to improve the quality of life for low-income Torontonians living with serious mental health and addictions challenges, often with histories of chronic and/or episodic homelessness.
Vision
Everyone has a right to housing, mental health recovery and full participation in society. A cornerstone of this journey is adequate income support, access to a range of deeply affordable and stable housing options, and tenant/client led flexible supports within their chosen community.
Mission
Our Network’s mission is to work collaboratively in order to:
- Seek the required political will, financial investment and community support that is needed to bridge the gap between the need for housing and supports and the present service capacity in Toronto.
- Advance a coordinated and integrated system of affordable housing and supports that is equitable, seamless and efficient.
- Speak as one voice on common and systemic issues facing our tenants/clients, waiting list applicants and the sustainability of our provider organizations.
- Support a range of diverse services to best meet the needs of our community, making adjustments as needs and wants change.
- Share information and cultivate a community of practice based on evidence, best pratices and quality improvement principles.
Principles
Though we are a network of autonomous organizations and affiliated members, our work together is guided by the principles and approaches inherent in a Constellation Model of collaboration (see Appendix A).
In addition to this, collectively we share the following fundamental beliefs:
- Safe and affordable housing is a basic human right and a platform for mental health recovery and healthy living.
- Toronto requires a diverse range of safe, affordable housing options and flexible supports in order to ensure informed choice for the people these services are intended to help. The ability to exercise full choice, such as transitioning to other housing options, is severely limited by inadequate income supports.
- Support and housing must be delivered in a manner which minimizes barriers to access and promotes housing stability, personal recovery, wellness and overall quality of life.
- Security of tenure is essential to housing stability, recovery and quality of life.
- Housing First principles are embraced, as is the recognition that transitional housing is also a part of a comprehensive supportive housing system.
- A coordinated Toronto MHA Supportive Housing system works to align the diversity of approaches to meet the changing needs and desires of existing clients, program participants, tenants/clients and applicants.
- The pursuit of our mission is best achieved through the development of strong collaborative relationships amongst our Network members, the broader community, government, the private sector, philanthropic supporters, and the hospital/institutional sector.