By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Northumberland County will be contacting Northumberland Hills Hospital on the possibility of some kind of partnership to create supportive housing on the vacant lands they own adjacent to and across the street from the facility.
The discussion arose after a presentation at Wednesday’s meeting of Northumberland County council’s Social Services Committee on that segment of the homeless population who face the greatest barriers.
Comments from street-outreach worker Jordan Stevenson expanded on a segment of the unhoused who have complex health issues that living on the street only exacerbates.
While they can sometimes get someone into treatment, said Peterborough AIDS Resource Network Harm Reduction Outreach Worker Nichola Davies, this is not even necessarily a solution.
“One of the huge barriers to treatment is, when they come out, they are unhoused again, so it’s next to impossible to ask someone to get back into that chaotic lifestyle and maintain a sober lifestyle. It’s just impossible,” Davies declared.
Contemplating his motion, Warden Brian Ostrander said, it could take the form of “some sort of purchase or sale or an actual partnership in order to find some sort of supportive or transitional housing.”
Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Moore pointed out that, originally, that parcel of land was sold to the hospital by the county.
“It has been my understanding that the hospital has specific health-care plans for the future of those lands. Of course, asking the hospital to look at a partnership, the location is quite desirable and I think the land would be straightforward to build on,” Moore said.
“It’s a fairly small parcel, certainly enough for a small project. We could reach out to the hospital to see if there is any desire to have a conversation.”
Ostrander’s motion directs staff to engage in discussion with NHH regarding their vacant land and partnership opportunities for supportive housing.
