Higher Level of Care

As a chaplain at First United Church, I have gained a voice with the leadership and staff. I have never met a group of people so willing to give of themselves to those who have been marginalized from mainline society. The dislocation of homelessness generally  results from poverty, addiction, and mental health problems.

As a member of the "Research and Policy" Committee I am an advocate for a Higher Level of Care for the residents.  By that I mean evolving beyond primarily providing meals and lodging to more active  intervention and treatment of addiction and mental health issues. The staff already assists in so many other ways, for example this year they are helping 3400 DTES residents file income tax returns.

Of course this would require major adjustments in space and funding. The bold and future plans shown in this architectural drawing would allow a higher level of care if actualized. However like the US, Canada is  finding it increasingly more difficult to fund mental health and addiction treatment. I am so grateful for those who are supporting me in this venture.

For now, one pragmatic possibility would be modeling approaches from the Recovery Cafe in Seattle WA.  My good friend Craig Burmeister (from Roseburg) and I tried to visit today, but it was closed for the Thanksgiving weekend. I will be visiting in the near future and will share my experience here when I do.

I hope all my American friends are having a wonderful Thanksgiving season. I was in Canada at a workshop with Gabor Mate, author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction. What an opportunity with only 50 others attending allowing a high level of interaction.


I appreciate your thoughts and prayers!
Ross