New Research on Housing and Mental Illness

Joan Nandlal, PhD and clinical research section head for the Community Support and Research Unit, will lead a new research project that is focused on learning how people with mental illness benefit from the congregate living, a housing model that offers private bedrooms and shared living space thereby creating opportunities to engage in activities with other residents. Existing literature tells us that people living with mental illness are often less connected to friends, family and neighbourhood activities, and this project, funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), will investigating if congregate living is beneficial for individuals with mental illness because of the social supports and community engagement associated with type of housing arrangement.

In addition to visiting various support agencies and conducting interviews with both current and past residents to gather data, a key component of this research project will be partnering with housing agencies.  This collaborative approach will create an on-going dialogue with community partners that will enhance data interpretation and the project’s results.

Dr. Nandlal believes that this congregate living project will inform funding decisions and policy initiatives around effective supportive housing.  As Dr. Nandlal explains, it’s essential for housing providers to have more information about alternative housing models so that they can provide enough diversity and enhance the continuum of housing options for people with mental illness. Ultimately, this research may help move people from high levels to low levels of support and become more integrated into society.

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