Programs authorized under federal or provincial legislation or local government initiatives that provide financial assistance and supportive services for individuals and/or families who are homeless or at risk for homelessness. Included are prevention programs that help people at imminent risk for homelessness preserve current housing or secure alternative housing; diversion programs that help people actively seeking shelter to identify and access viable alternatives including shared housing arrangements and transitional housing/shelter; and rapid re-housing programs that help people who are already homeless move as quickly as possible into permanent housing. Services may include case management, rental deposits, rent assistance, utility deposits, housing search assistance, moving expenses, expenses related to non-shelter temporary housing in situations where permanent housing has been secured but is currently unavailable, and other costs the family may incur in the process of acquiring or maintaining housing. Allowable activities, eligibility criteria and other requirements vary depending on the jurisdiction, the funding source and the focus of the program.

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Programs that provide a temporary place to stay (usually three days to two weeks), generally in dormitory-style facilities with very little privacy, for people who have no permanent housing.

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Programs that provide affordable, community-based housing for individuals and families who have experienced long-term or chronic homelessness and have been diagnosed as having a physical or developmental disability, a severe mental illness, substance use disorder problems or HIV/AIDS; or are members of another designated group within the homeless population. Structures may include apartments, single-family houses, duplexes, group homes or single-room occupancy housing. Permanent supportive housing programs generally provide residents with the rights of tenancy under provincial or local landlord/tenant laws and are linked to services designed to meet residents' needs. Supportive services vary depending on the resident population. Most programs offer some type of case management and housing support, but may also offer more intensive mental health, substance use disorder, vocational, employment or other services which help promote independent living. Supportive services may be offered on-site or off-site, or be provided by a mobile service team and may be available to people with current housing who are at risk of becoming homeless.

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Programs that provide extended shelter and supportive services primarily for homeless individuals and/or families with the goal of helping them live independently and transition into permanent housing. Some programs require that the individual/family be transitioning from a short-term emergency shelter. The length of stay varies considerably by program. It is generally longer than two weeks but typically 60 days or more and, in many cases, up to two years or more. The supportive services may be provided directly by the organization managing the housing or may be coordinated by them and provided by other public or private agencies. Transitional housing/shelter is generally provided in apartment style facilities with a higher degree of privacy than short-term homeless shelters; may be provided at no cost to the resident; and may be configured for specialized groups within the homeless population such as people with substance use disorders, a mental illness, AIDS/HIV, who have experienced domestic violence and/or veterans. In some cases, a "transition in place" option allows families to continue living in the same complex (if not the same unit) where their transitional housing unit is located when they are ready to move to permanent housing. In other cases, the permanent housing option is either public housing or private rental housing supported by a tenant-based voucher subsidy. Included are post-domestic violence shelter housing programs that make affordable rental housing (or other accommodations) available to women, generally those who are coming directly out of a domestic violence shelter or other crisis shelter, often in apartment complexes owned by the shelter; and programs that provide transitional housing and support services for other targeted groups such as military and veteran families and others who need a temporary supportive living environment to maintain stability and begin to thrive.

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Programs that provide transportation services for homeless people from the streets to a local shelter with available space, either from a established pick-up site or by appointment from the individual’s current location. Also included are programs that provide transportation between shelters or to and from medical clinics, detoxification facilities, public assistance offices and other local service providers.

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Programs that help people who are homeless because they have become estranged from their families establish contact with their families. The program may also, where appropriate, help them negotiate the conditions under which they can return to their families and arrange for transportation home.

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Community-based programs staffed by outreach workers who support vulnerable and at-risk youth, build relationships with them, and provide them with information about and referrals to other forms of support and opportunities that can lead to positive social, educational, economic and health outcomes. Services offered may include assistance with the youth's immediate concerns or crisis, help navigate the system and access the services they need, support sessions for their families and caregivers, opportunities to connect with other youth and access peer support, and/or a safe space in a drop-in centre. Youth outreach programs may implement various strategies to reach the youth population where they are, including social media outreach, partnerships with youth serving organizations, maintaining a presence at community events attended by youth, or through peer mentors or youth ambassadors.

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Organizations that make an effort to increase the availability and utilization of community services by specific target populations by providing direct services for targeted individuals in their homes or other convenient locations or by making special efforts to ensure that a particular group is aware of available services and encouraged to participate. Included are programs that do outreach regarding their own services as well as those which encourage a target population to use a wide variety of services.

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