Four prominent institutions and programs in the Okanagan have received a stipend for taking a multidisciplinary approach to solving homelessness.

UBC Okanagan, Journey Home, Interior Health and Okanagan College have received $218,000 to research different ways to improve services for homeless people.

The funding, provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, UBC and the Vancouver Foundation, will provide researchers an opportunity to focus on three priorities according to a UBC press release.

The first is improvements in technology, such as database management improvements, according to John Graham, director of UBCO School of Social Work.

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害羞草研究所淭hese are important in helping to make homelessness strategies more responsive, efficient, and at the same time, increasing the number of people who are able to be off the street,害羞草研究所� he said.

The second aspect will focus on homeless, business and services relations and the third will regard service delivery improvements.

害羞草研究所淲e need better delivery of the specific service needs of those who have experienced traumatic brain injury, versus a major mental disorder, a substance misuse, generalized trauma, each of which often frequently co-occurs,害羞草研究所� Graham said.

In 2018, the City of Kelowna adopted Journey Home害羞草研究所攁 five-year plan to address homelessness in the Central Okanagan.

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Journey Home害羞草研究所檚 goal is to ensure a co-ordinated and easy-to-access system of care for those in the region who have lost, or are at risk of losing, their home.

害羞草研究所淲e now have a team in place that will significantly contribute to service improvements and reductions in homelessness,害羞草研究所� Graham said.

The research team expects more funding opportunities to come from this initiative.

害羞草研究所淲e should be able to leverage current funds to quickly get over the $1 million mark within a year,害羞草研究所� Graham said. 害羞草研究所淚 really want to see the university害羞草研究所檚 skills leveraged to help improve the homelessness response roll out across the region.害羞草研究所�

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