Addiction Supportive Housing (ASH) is a program designed to assist people who are having trouble maintaining housing due to their substance use and are looking to make positive changes in their life. Participants work with a Housing Case Manager to develop an individualized program and meet with their case manager on a weekly basis.
Please note: Addiction Supportive Housing (ASH) is not emergency housing.
Primary Eligibility Requirements:
- Currently engaged in abstinence-based recovery
- History of multiple entries in treatment
- Currently at risk of homelessness including inadequate housing
- Experiencing concern related to substance, gambling, or gaming
- Not experiencing a serious mental illness and/or a severe Acquired Brain Injury
Admission criteria will include:
- A strong desire to live independently
- Must participate in a comprehensive screening and assessment process in order to develop an appropriate treatment plan
- Must participate in services that support stabilization
- Must agree to participate in the ASH Program including a treatment plan to change substance use patterns and staff recommendations
- Agreement to abide by rules, policies and procedures of program, including refraining from smoking inside the housing units
- Ability to participate in self-management of unit and basic home maintenance with assistance
- Ability to manage personal health care
- Legitimate income source
- No impending jail terms (otherwise go on wait list)
- No imminent danger to self, staff or other participants
Referral Process & Referral Form
- Current clients of CASON should speak to their counsellor about a referral
- Referrals can be made by a client or by another service provider.
- Once a referral is received the application will be put on file according to date received. The applicant will be contacted when an available spot becomes open.
- Next clients will attend an Information Session and if client meets the eligibility requirements, feels the program would be beneficial to them and they are able to commit to the ASH program.
- They will then be invited to attend a pre-ASH session with a Housing Case Manager.
- At one of these individual sessions a client will be asked to bring pertinent information to verify income and citizenship status (such as a birth certificate and a cheque stub from Ontario Works).
- *Please note: If a client is outside of Niagara they will be required to attend their information session at the CASON main office.