Our Role with Homelessness Prevention Program

How do we define homeless?

“The situation of an individual, family, or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect means and ability of acquiring it.”

It is important to note that this definition does not fully encompass every experience of homelessness. There are different groups of people who are affected differently, and every individual’s experience is unique. Homelessness is not strictly an issue of housing instability. These differences are important when considering methods of addressing homelessness, as one strategy does not apply for every community.

What is the DTSSAB’s Role?

The DTSSAB’s role in addressing homelessness is the role of Service Manager under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, administered through our Housing Services program. This includes providing oversight to service providers, distribute finances, serve as a liaison between provincial/federal authorities, and ensure the right services are in-place and monitor their efficiency through data collection.  

The role of Service Manager addressing homelessness is addressed through Housing and Community Outreach (provincially funded through the Homelessness Prevention Program) which includes:

• Front-facing programs including Housing Services, Ontario Works and Children’s Services.  Our services are available Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30

• Transitional Housing such as Hope Haven in Kirkland Lake

• Emergency Shelters such as Zack’s Crib in Timiskaming Shores

• Financial supports for Timiskaming District food banks

• Rent subsidy programs and additional supports

Emergency calls outside of those hours are often directed towards OPP detachments, individuals being brought to local hospital, and/or other community supports. All efforts are made to create a local solution for clients, keeping them close to individual and community supports.

The programs and their administration is determined by guidelines set out by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

By-Name List

The District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board (DTSSAB) began developing a By-Name List in April 2021. 

The By-Name List is a provincially mandated excel spreadsheet that is a living, real time document of the number of individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness in the district. This collection of data being limited by the invisibility of homelessness in Northern Ontario. This creates a foundation for better service coordination, in turn providing increased standardization for assessment and referral protocols for coordination with community partners. This coordinated access boosts impact of services, creating continuous service district-wide, resulting in a “no wrong door” approach.

Individuals are added to the By-Name list when they provide consent to Service Providers as they connect or re-connect with service providers when seeking services, through outreach, or enumeration.

This data is imperative to better understand the depth of the issue and create effective solutions, while also preventing individuals from “falling through the cracks.” The data collected is also necessary for reporting and creating effective data visualizations required for public understanding of the concerns and for advocacy.

What does the By-Name List do?

The By-Name list can:

1. Provide a systematic approach for matching people to the right services and supports;

2. Help to prioritize offers of service/support as they become available;

3. Improve coordination of and access to services by more effectively and efficiently connecting supply to needs.

By-Name Lists can help assess how effective programs and services are in helping people experiencing homelessness find and keep housing.

Importance of Community Partnerships

Addressing homelessness requires collaboration and a strong partnership between all levels of government, Indigenous organizations and communities, service providers, people with lived experience, a wide range of community organizations and provincial systems such as social services, health, corrections, and education. With a solid partnership team, we can support community individuals in a more simplified and efficient manner.

Hope Haven

The District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board is committed to supporting individuals in need in the district with integrity and respect.  This commitment brought us to the innovative partnership with the Salvation Army and the creation of Hope Haven transitional house. These provincially funded programs provide housing and support services for individuals at risk or experiencing homelessness. The objective of the program is to prevent, address, and reduce all forms of homelessness, including chronic homelessness. Transitional housing is key to this effort in providing a supportive, yet temporary type of accommodation meant to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing. Hope Haven addresses this gap by providing a six-bed transitional home for men in addition to the Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program. The program includes life skills development and daily living supports such as budgeting, assistance with personal care, housekeeping, laundry, cooking, education, and income support.

Find the Salvation Army’s video regarding the project here.

Zack’s Crib

Zack’s Crib is a non-profit corporation dedicated to ending homelessness. Zack’s Crib was created by a diverse group of individuals who came together with the goal of ending homelessness in the Temiskaming Shores and area. Partners to Zack’s Crib include the District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board (DTSSAB) and the Ontario Provincial Police (Temiskaming detachment). Community partnerships with the Pavilion Women’s Centre (Violence Against Women shelter), the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Timiskaming Health Unit (THU) and local Indigenous groups continue to be developed to provide a network of support for individuals who enter the doors. 

Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP)

The Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) can help individuals and homeless families move into permanent homes. Also, the program can help individuals and families maintain their permanent homes rather than face eviction and homelessness.

The following are expenses that may be considered:

• utility arrears;

• rental arrears;

• minor relocation fees (transportation to another municipality);

• temporary accommodations;

• moving expenses

How Do I Apply?

Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program Recipients

If you receive Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits, please contact your caseworker to begin applying for HPP benefits.

Non-Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program Recipients

If you are not currently in receipt of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support, you can call, email or come to one of our offices to make an appointment. Our contact information is below.

To be eligible, your total gross (pre-tax) household income (including Child Tax Benefits), should be at or below the most recent Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), plus 15%.

The table below provides the eligibility amounts for non-social assistance recipients. The dollar amounts consider family size based on a rural population, as qualified by Statistics Canada.

Know someone experiencing homelessness?

Direct them to contact the Housing and Community Outreach Coordinator:

1-888-544-5555
HPP@dtssab.com