Alcohol use is a risk factor for homelessness in Canada. Time spent homeless also increases the risk of alcohol use and abuse, which may explain why there is a disproportionate rate of addiction in the homeless community. Sadly, the use of alcohol and other substances is a common cause of death and injury among people who are homeless. This is due, in part, to the fact that shelters often refuse people who have problems with alcohol and other drugs. To help reduce and prevent these harms, experts have developed managed alcohol programs. These programs help people who are homeless and addicted to alcohol find housing, receive treatment, and access other services. This guide will explain more about managed alcohol programs and where individuals can find them in cities throughout Ontario. Read on for the most essential facts to know.
What Is a Managed Alcohol Program?
A managed alcohol program (MAP) is a harm-reduction service provided to Canadians who are homeless and have alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Individuals enrolled in MAPs get regular access to small amounts of alcohol.
MAP participants also receive physical and mental health services for addiction and related disorders. Housing, financial, and nutritional services, medical care, and counselling are available through MAPs.
For over 20 years, these evidence-based programs have been used effectively in communities throughout Canada and the world. A 2022 review of 32 MAP studies found that these programs can reduce alcohol-related harms and improve severe AUD outcomes.
SAMH is an abstinence-based treatment program.
What’s the Difference Between a Traditional Alcohol Rehab Program and a MAP?
The difference between a traditional alcohol rehab program and a MAP comes down to the type of patient served, the program’s aim, and the strategy used to achieve that goal.
A traditional alcohol rehab program serves anyone who needs help with an AUD, which may sometimes include people who are homeless. The goal of most rehabs is to help individuals with getting sober through abstinence.
MAPs exclusively serve homeless populations. The aim is to reduce the harm associated with alcohol abuse in this population. They are not always sobriety programs, as the main goal is to manage alcohol consumption.
MAPs in Canada
MAPs originate in Canada. One of the first was at the Seaton House homeless shelter in Toronto. The program was founded in the late 1990s to prevent harm to individuals turned away from shelters due to alcohol use.
Today, there are over 40 MAPs in operation throughout Canada. The Canadian Managed Alcohol Program Studies (CMAPS) team has researched and evaluated these programs since 2013.
Below, we will discuss MAPs in Ontario. Discover MAP locations outside of Ontario and learn more about CMAPS findings on the implementation and effectiveness of these programs from the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research.
MAPs in Ontario
There are currently 11 different MAPs in Ontario. Today, we want to highlight seven that are available in cities throughout Ontario.
Special Care Unit, Wesley (Hamilton)
The Wesley’s Special Care Unit is in Hamilton, Ontario. It offers residential and transitional outpatient services to people who are homeless and have severe AUDs.
Participants can access managed alcohol services. Medications, treatments, and follow-up case management are also available.
Morningstar Centre, Lake of the Woods District Hospital (Kenora)
The Morningstar Detoxification Centre at Lake of the Woods District Hospital serves individuals with a long history of homelessness and severe AUDs in Kenora, Ontario.
This program provides provisional housing, mental health and alcohol addiction counselling, nutrition services, and medical care.
The Oaks, Shepherds of Good Hope (Ottawa)
The Oaks is a 55-bed shelter and 28-unit supportive housing facility for Ottawans who are homeless. The majority of The Oaks’ residents have severe AUDs and participate in the facility’s MAP.
Residents get access to medical and mental health services. The two-step MAP allows participants to receive small doses of wine 15 hours per day.
Harm Reduction Home Residential Program (Sudbury)
Formerly known as Harm Reduction Home, Healing With Hope Home’s Residential program provides services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have severe AUDs in the Greater Sudbury Area.
This MAP is unique because it is non-residential, running from 9 am to 8 pm. A co-pay is required to access the program’s managed alcohol, primary care, and mental health services.
Kwae Kii Win Managed Alcohol program, Shelter House (Thunder Bay)
The Kwae Kii Win Centre’s Managed Alcohol program is at the Shelter House in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It offers supportive housing to 15 individuals who have chronic AUDs and a history of prolonged homelessness.
Participants access services from a nurse practitioner trained to deliver six ounces of white wine every 90 minutes between 8 am and 11 pm.
Annex Harm Reduction program, Seaton House (Toronto)
Home of one of the first MAPs in the world, Toronto’s Seaton House still offers its residential Annex Harm Reduction program today. It is available for up to 100 men 18 or older who have been denied homelessness services due to severe AUDs.
This program requires participants to pay a fee for managed alcohol services, which allow for small doses of wine from 7:30 am to 11 pm.
Art Manuel House (Toronto)
Art Manuel House in Toronto serves up to 10 individuals who are 19 or older, homeless or at risk of homelessness, and have severe AUDs. The program takes place in a high-support family-style transitional home.
Residents can access managed alcohol from 7:30 am to 11 pm. Psychiatric and intensive case management services are also available.
Get Your Loved One the Help They Need
Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) offer a unique approach to treating people with alcohol use disorders. They are exclusively designed to prevent alcohol-related harm to individuals who are homeless.
Multiple MAPs are located throughout Canada, including in Ontario. Rest assured that help is available whether you are in Toronto, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Kenora, or Hamilton.
Are you or a loved one experiencing homelessness and a severe AUD? A managed alcohol program may help. If not, Simcoe Addiction and Mental Health’s traditional rehab programs can be an excellent alternative.
Contact us to learn about our alcohol recovery services or request more resources about managed alcohol programs near you.