Reducing Barriers to Support

1. Reducing Barriers to Support Violence Against Women, Mental Wellness and Substance Use Shabna Ali, Executive Director shabnaali@bcysth.ca Rebecca Haskell, Project Coordinator rebecca@bcysth.ca

2. Important Terms Transitional Housing Mental Wellness Substance Use Violence Against Women (VAW)

3. Types of Transitional Housing Transition House Short to moderate term [30 days] first stage emergency housing. Second Stage House Long term (3 – 12 months) secure housing with support designed to assist women while they look for permanent housing. Third Stage House Supportive housing for women who have left violent relationship and who no longer need crisis support services. Safe Home Short term [less than 5 days] emergency housing in private home or rental units.

4. Objectives To develop a more coordinated approach to services in Transition, Second and Third Stage Houses and Safe Homes for women fleeing violence and who have varying levels of mental wellness and substance use in BC and the Yukon. To encourage our Members to collaborate with each other and other sectors to develop inclusive policies, procedures and practices that best serve women who are fleeing violence.

5. End Products A Promising Practices Guide that outlines concrete and practical actions agencies can use to ensure their policies, procedures and practices are inclusive of women fleeing violence who also have varying levels of mental wellness and substance use. A four-day curriculumbased on the Promising Practices guide for front line workers in Transition, Second and Third Stage Houses and Safe Homes.

6. Process • Working Group • Research • Consultations with Service Recipients • Piloting

7. Working Group Prince George South Island Dispute Resolution Centre South Peace Community Resources Society Surrey Tri City Women's Resource Society Vancouver Vanderhoof Alcohol & Drug Services Victoria Women's Transition House Society Aurora Centre, Vancouver Atira Women’s Resource Society Bella Coola BC Housing Burnaby Mental Health and Addictions Dawson City, YT Mental Health & Addictions Services Thompson Cariboo Phoenix Transition House Society

8. Working Group

9. Research • Discussion Paper • Current Policies, Procedures and Practices Survey • Arbor Educational & Clinical Consulting • Focus Groups with Service Recipients • Woman Abuse Response Program (WARP)

10. Consultations Consultations Discussion Paper Focus Groups w Service Recipients Draft Promising Practices Survey w Service Recipients Promising Practices Piloting Current Practices Survey Revisions Working Group

11. Piloting

12. Piloting

13. Funnel In and Out Funders & Policy Makers Research Service Providers Service Recipients Researchers Context Experience Knowledge PROMISING PRACTICES Policies Procedures Funders & Policy Makers Practices Service Providers Service Recipients Researchers

14. Thank you! “It is helpful for service providers to recognize that people can experience varying levels of severity of substance use and substance use problems, and that one’s substance use, even if it is situationally intense, does not necessarily mean that it will lead to behaviour or substance use that is ‘out of control’”. Coalescing on Women and Substance Use, n.d. Shabna Ali Rebecca Haskell Executive director Project Coordinator shabnaali@bcysth.carebecca@bcysth.ca 604-669-6943 x. 221