Room for Change: Rural Low-Barrier Housing Policy and Program Models for People with Substance Use and Mental Health Comorbidities

Rural North American communities experience disproportionate burdens of housing instability and toxic drug poisonings. These regions face complex intersections of homelessness, substance use, and mental health issues, and innovative strategies are required to effectively address these crises. In British Columbia, Canada, new funding opportunities to address rural homelessness for complex populations have come after a lag in available resources. Complex Care Housing is a model aimed at filling gaps in the current housing and care continuum for people with mental health and substance use challenges. Due to rural-specific social characteristics, new housing models require ongoing evaluation to ensure programs meet the quality and fidelity of gold standard Housing First programs that upload the tenets of harm reduction and person-centeredness.