A new initiative in Chatham-Kent is helping to connect those experiencing homelessness with essential medical and social support.
The Pathway2Care program provides support to homeless individuals who are transitioning from the hospital back to the community by ensuring they have the resources needed for their recovery.
Peter Morassutti, Manager of Mobile Integrated Health with Chatham-Kent EMS, said the program follows the healthcare of the unhoused within the Chatham-Kent community, which helps to reduce the likelihood of hospital readmissions.
“We were noticing a little bit of an uptick in patients being released from hospital after having care but with no follow-up care for them. Being unhoused, they really had no place to turn,” said Morassutti. “Unfortunately, it’s our society nowadays; we have a lot of encampments, we have a lot of people who are unhoused… so we’re there to help out and be gap-filler to help them get back on the right track.”
Pathway2Care is a collaboration of partners across the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team that helps to bridge the gap between hospital services and community resources. These partners include Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K), Chatham-Kent Housing Services, the Canadian Mental Health Association of Lambton-Kent, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, and Chatham-Kent EMS.
“With the help of everybody and the great partnerships that we have throughout the municipality, it’s making a difference one small step at a time,” said Morassutti. “I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Since its launch on September 4, the program has connected with more than 40 individuals, offering immediate support and connections to local health and social services. Pathway2Care now provides an in-patient hospital collaboration, which allows the local hospital to connect with the EMS Community Paramedic Program and the program team.