Phases

This study had three phases:

Phase 1

• Secondary analysis of data collected through the 'Housing and Mental Health CURA (Community and University Research Alliance)'
• This data was collected using quantitative interviews with 300 former psychiatric consumers per year for the past four years. Over a quarter were interviewed in shelters.
• Questionnaires including quality of life, use of services, housing history, housing preferences, severity of illness and current levels of functioning.
• Additional questions pertaining to diversity were added in 2004.

Phase 2

• Critical ethnography including focus groups and interviews with key informants:
  • Members of minority groups who have experienced mental health and housing challenges.
  • Service providers to minority groups.
• Data was analyzed to further explore issues and differences suggested in the quantitative data.

Phase 3

• Policy Analysis: Municipal, Provincial, and Federal related to
  • Mental health services
  • Housing and homelessness issues
  • Income support
  • Diversity issues (refugee status, immigration, multicultural issues, aboriginal issues)
• Policy Analysis will be informed by the previous two phases and will be completed within the final year of the study