The timeline is short, but London officials are confident in their ability to submit a strong application for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub that the province will begin funding next year. “I think London is one of the best positioned communities based on our experience with the development of our own hub-based system (Whole of Community Response to Homelessness) to be [able] to act quickly on the provincial application,” says Mayor Josh Morgan. The Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services (CMHA TVAMHS) has met the province’s deadline (September 20) to submit a letter of intent to operate a HART Hub in London.
There is now less than a month to submit a formal application by October 18. The province has yet to provide details about the application process, but the mayor says the $25 million anonymous donation that spawned the Fund for Change will be a critical component. “We can position this capital money through the Fund for Change to line up with the provincial operating money and really create a really strong application,” Morgan explains.
Mayor Josh Morgan discusses London's application for provincial funding to open a HART Hub (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) In August, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced a plan to open 19 HART Hubs for the homeless. “Learning from early adopters like the City of London. These hubs provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to treatment.
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