People using Shelter House's alcohol management program are getting housing, health care and hope according to a new study.
On Monday city council will hear findings from The Kwae Kii Win Managed Alcohol Program: Towards Alcohol Harm Reduction, conducted by the University of Victoria's Centre for Addictions research of BC. It studied 18 people who use the Shelter House program and 20 who don't. Those in the program felt safer and showed improved mental health and well being.
The program, started in 2012, reduced contact with police, hospital and detox admissions by up to 80 per cent for those participating.
"This is striking and stands in sharp contrast to the harms this population is exposed to on the street," the study concludes. "The safety and stability provided by the program also enabled many participants to reconnect with family members and have greater feelings of self-worth and well being. It appears that as residents stabilize in MAP, they are more able to access health, social and cultural resources that foster healing and recovery."
Also Monday, council will vote on a $2.8 million contract to Tom Jones Corp. for Whalen Building renovations.
There's also a request from Coun. Larry Hebert that administration look into potential locations for a war memorial.
