Street Links says program is freeing up hospital beds

Pilot project frees up beds at Winnipeg hospitals Jeff Keele reports on a pilot project helping to house homeless patients who would otherwise need a hospital bed.

Henry Owens has no where to call home, and he's waiting for heart surgery.

"My valves are clogged up," said Owens.

A room he's sitting in looks like one you'd find in a hospital, but it's not.

Owens is currently staying at 604 St. Mary’s Road, a building that houses a 24/7 safe space run by St. Boniface Street Links.

"They're looking for my place right now, these people, for me to stay. I'm thankful for them to help me out."

There are 20 transitional beds here for patients who either go to the hospital homeless, or lose their homes while in hospital. Street Links executive director Marion Willis said those patients are sent here.

"These are folks that couldn't be discharged to main stream shelters, they've got some ongoing medical needs," said Willis.

Home care workers come in to provide care, and even a few doctors have checked in. At the same time, her organization lines up housing for the patients. Willis said they've seen well over 130 people come through their doors since April. She said this is freeing up actual hospital beds.

"With every medicine bed that we can free up on a ward, you're now freeing up a bed in an emergency room, and with that bed freed up, you're actually improving wait times in the wait room," said Willis.

In August, the province announced 68 transitional beds would be available at four locations, including the Street Links facility. At the time, the province said the transitional bed program would cost $1.7 million in capital costs and $3.7 million annually.

Willis said the program at her centre is only guaranteed for a year, and she’d like to see it made permanent.

She'd also like to stay in the city-owned building at 604 St. Mary’s Road.

A new city report recommends extending a no-cost lease here for another year. But it said the Housing Accelerator Fund Office would like to see the property turned into affordable housing.

“At the expense of making us homeless and our population, that sounds a bit counterintuitive," said Willis.