The Health Outreach Mobile Engagement (H.O.M.E) Program
The H.O.M.E Program provides a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral mobile response to improve the health outcomes and health equity of highly marginalized individuals in London.
The Clients We Serve
The H.O.M.E Program is for individuals who are experiencing homelessness, or are insecurely housed, or are clients rostered with the London InterCommunity Health Centre
The Objectives of the H.O.M.E Program
The objectives of the H.O.M.E Program are to:
- Provide primary care, harm reduction, support with substance use, basic needs, and wrap-around care services directly to people where they are at.
- Implement a model of care that can be delivered by an interdisciplinary team from multiple agencies with effective and efficient use of resources.
- Reduce morbidity and mortality of clients experiencing structural violence and deprived of housing.
- Ensure clients are provided with wrap-around care to address the social determinants of health.
- Engage clients who face barriers to accessing traditional models of care in harm reduction, stabilizing healthcare, and comprehensive care services.
- Increase access for clients to comprehensive primary care and social services by decreasing barriers.
The Services We Offer
The H.O.M.E Program offers:
- Medical care (triage and assessment, episodic care and prescribing, wound care, flu shots, treatment for infections)
- Harm reduction support (equipment, supplies, services, and information)
- Relationship-building and engagement
- Infectious disease testing (HIV/AIDS + Hepatitis C)
- Healthcare system navigation and linkage (e.g., mental health care, support accessing services for which clients must attend appointments, support accessing hospitalization if needed)
- Social service system navigation and linkage, and assistance with forms (e.g., housing, income)
- Housing support
- Provision of basic needs (as available, e.g., food, water, clothing, hygiene products)
- Referrals in real time, as needed and possible, to our agencies and community partner services and care
- Peer support and referrals to Recovery Community Centre
Our Guiding Principles
People who use drugs are experts:
People who use drugs are knowledgeable about the culture of drug use and their own goals and needs. Collaborating with people who use drugs is critical to developing successful programs and strategies to address the overdose crisis.
Participant-led and participant centred care delivery:
The program will aim to support people to meet their current goals in the safest way possible. Our aim is to provide compassionate and equitable healthcare to people.
Harm reduction:
The program recognizes that drug-related harms are largely driven by criminalization of drugs and the people who use them. Team members will respect people’s autonomy and choices around substance use and accessing healthcare.
Low-barrier care:
The program is meant to be as accessible as possible. Team members will strive to meet client needs and ensure access to care through flexibility, problem solving, and collaboration.
Non-punitive approach:
The program recognizes that our clients’ lives are complicated. All challenges will be addressed through dialogue and support and will not result in discharge from the program.
Where and When Services are Offered
Two days a week, services are offered from a Middlesex-London Paramedic Service Special Operations Bus that has been outfitted to deliver multiple health services. Three days a week, an emergency support SUV will be deployed to assist the H.O.M.E team in providing care to clients.
The H.O.M.E Program is a mobile service. Locations and hours of operation are based on site availability and community-identified need.
The Impact of Our Work
Year 1 Evaluation Results
An evaluation of the H.O.M.E Program was conducted to explore the impacts from the first year of program implementation.
Stories of Impact
Through the evaluation process, stories were gathered that demonstrate the impact the H.O.M.E Program has had on individuals accessing the program.
The H.O.M.E Program Partners
This collaborative initiative is made possible by:
The H.O.M.E Program receives financial support from the Government of Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program. Financial support for the H.O.M.E Program is also provided by Ontario Health West.
Contact
For H.O.M.E. Program operational inquiries, please contact:
Len Hughes
Email: lhughes@lihc.on.ca
Phone: 519-660-0874 ext.1340
For H.O.M.E. Program scheduling and referrals, please contact:
Cassidy Morris
Email: cmorris@lihc.on.ca
Phone: 519-660-0874 ext. 1395
