Robrigado, M.; Zorić, I.; Sleet, D.A.; Francescutti, L.H. Bridge Healing: A Pilot Project of a New Model to Prevent Repeat “Social Admit” Visits to the Emergency Department and Help Break the Cycle of Homelessness in Canada. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6845.
Robrigado, M.; Zorić, I.; Sleet, D.A.; Francescutti, L.H. Bridge Healing: A Pilot Project of a New Model to Prevent Repeat “Social Admit” Visits to the Emergency Department and Help Break the Cycle of Homelessness in Canada. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6845.
Robrigado, M.; Zorić, I.; Sleet, D.A.; Francescutti, L.H. Bridge Healing: A Pilot Project of a New Model to Prevent Repeat “Social Admit” Visits to the Emergency Department and Help Break the Cycle of Homelessness in Canada. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6845.
Robrigado, M.; Zorić, I.; Sleet, D.A.; Francescutti, L.H. Bridge Healing: A Pilot Project of a New Model to Prevent Repeat “Social Admit” Visits to the Emergency Department and Help Break the Cycle of Homelessness in Canada. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6845.
Abstract
Homelessness continues to be a pervasive public health problem throughout Canada. Hospital Emergency Departments (EDs) and inpatient wards have become a source of temporary care and shelter for homeless patients. Upon leaving the hospital, homeless patients are not more equipped than before to find permanent housing. The Bridge Healing Program in Edmonton, Alberta has emerged as a novel approach to addressing homelessness by providing transitional housing for those relying on repeated visits to the ED. This paper describes the three essential components to the Bridge Healing model: partnership between the ED and a Housing First community organization; facility design based on The Eden Alternative™ principles, and; grassroots community funding. This paper in conjunction with the current pilot project of the Bridge Healing facilities serves as a proof of concept for the model and can inform transitional housing approaches in other communities.
Keywords
homeless(ness); Bridge Healing; Housing First; transitional housing; homeless patients; Emergency Department; The Eden Alternative™
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
