| SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDER LIST DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, ADDICTIONS AND HOMELESSNESS |
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INTRODUCTION The goal of this Expression of Interest (EOI) is to identify service providers interested in expanding their support services within their housing portfolio or in partnership with housing developers. Service providers aligned with the department’s criteria will be posted on the Housing Starts Here webpage as a resource for housing developers seeking to connect with service delivery partners. Some proponents may also be invited to participate in further opportunities with us or our funding partners, including securing housing for their clients and informing housing design. DISCLAIMER This EOI process is not a comprehensive assessment of a provider’s capacity or qualifications. Inclusion on the list does not represent a funding commitment, now or in the future. The list is based on a limited due diligence process conducted by Manitoba Housing. Housing developers and partnering agencies are expected to conduct their own due diligence when selecting and engaging service providers. If an EOI submission is rejected, Manitoba Housing reserves the right to work with the service provider to attempt to address any issues. BACKGROUND The Manitoba government is committed to ending chronic homelessness over the next seven years by increasing the supply of social and affordable housing units across the province. The government has also identified a significant shortfall of mobile and onsite supports for people struggling with mental health, substance use disorder/addictions and other co-occurring needs. Left unaddressed, these challenges often put people at high risk of homelessness and incarceration, as well as increasing their reliance on the health and emergency service systems. To advance our mandate to end chronic homelessness, the Department of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness (“the department”) has redesigned Manitoba Housing’s approach to supporting the development of social and affordable housing. This new approach, known as Housing Starts Here, ensures housing projects are ‘shovel-ready’ sooner by: |
- Accepting proposals at any time.
- Allowing groups to apply to multiple programs through a single proposal.
- Aligning provincial funding requirements with those of other major funders.
- Committing operating funding prior to construction.
- Providing a preliminary funding decision within eight weeks of receiving a complete proposal.
The new approach also prioritizes the development of housing with supports—the most needed type of housing to address homelessness—by requiring that proposals include provisions for the delivery of onsite and/or mobile support services to assist tenants in maintaining their housing over the long-term. In November 2024, the department launched a new online portal to deliver the new approach.
However, the department recognizes that housing developers may not have the connections to service providers needed to incorporate support services into their projects, limiting their ability to address the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness. To address this barrier, the department is seeking community organizations interested in being included on a list of support service providers.
Successful applicants will be selected based on the set of criteria outlined in Evaluation Criteria. Due to the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in Manitoba’s homeless population, as well as the systemic barriers to housing faced by Black communities, preference will be given to Indigenous- and Black-led organizations. Preference will also be given to organizations that serve other priority populations, including women, 2SLGBTQQIA+, youth aging out of care, people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities and other populations listed in the questionnaire. The support service provider list will be posted on the Housing Starts Here webpage. Each entry will include a brief overview of the organization, preferred contact information and the level(s) of supports they are interested in providing.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
The department is seeking organizations interested in providing one or more of the following levels of support services.
Rapid Rehousing
Itinerant teams provide brief, targeted and structured intervention to individuals experiencing episodic homelessness to assist them quickly exit homelessness. This includes general case management to help participants acquire identification, access basic services (e.g. income) and secure rental housing. Once participants are housed, teams will provide time limited services to promote long-term housing stability. Rapid rehousing services include:
- Assisting participant with completing rental applications.
- Preparing, accompanying and/or negotiating on behalf of participant for interviews with landlords.
- Ensuring that participant understands lease requirements before signing and conducting a move-in condition report with participant (including pictures).
- Conducting daily in-home visits for the first month after move-in and weekly visits for the second and third months.
- Remaining the point of contact for participant and landlord for one year in case personal or tenancy issues arise.
Intensive Case Management
Itinerant teams provide case management services to individuals experiencing episodic or chronic homelessness to facilitate access to housing, health and social supports. Teams may coordinate connections to withdrawal services, primary care, addiction medicine, home care, community counselling and other personalized supports. Intensive case management services include rapid rehousing services (described above) plus:
- Assisting participant to plan and execute move-in, including coordinating the resources needed to facilitate housing opportunities and fulfill lease obligations.
- Providing in-home support to assist participant with daily functioning, fulfilling tenant responsibilities and maintaining positive relations with other tenants.
- Conducting daily in-home visits for the first month after move-in, followed by a minimum of twice-weekly in-home visits in subsequent months. Visits may be reduced to weekly once housing is stable.
- Supporting participant to progress on individually identified goals related to health, recovery, self sufficiency and social integration.
- Supporting participant to progress on individually identified goals related to health, recovery, self sufficiency and social integration.
- Developing, supporting and reviewing practical plans to remain housed, meet health and personal goals and increase capacity using a harm reduction approach.
- Remaining the point of contact for participant and landlord for one year in case personal or tenancy issues arise.
Assertive Community Treatment
Itinerant, multidisciplinary teams support individuals experiencing multilayered mental health issues as well as episodic or chronic homelessness to live in the community. Teams assist with daily living activities and provide access to both clinical and holistic supports (e.g. physical and mental health clinicians, elders, knowledge keepers). Teams may also facilitate collections to primary care, home care, supportive recovery housing, and community-based substance use services. Teams recognize that recovery can be circular and require the intensity of support vary. Assertive community treatment services include rapid rehousing and intensive case management services (described above), plus:
- Ensuring team members are available 24/7 and provide real-time crisis response and support.
- Providing medication management (where necessary).
- Providing, or facilitating access to, a variety of services (advocacy, psychiatry, primary care, trauma recovery, family repatriation, justice system interactions, harm reduction, cultural activities, daily living skills and supported employment services).
- Establishing partnerships with medical staff, elders and knowledge keepers to provide a two-eyed seeing approach, integrating Indigenous knowledge and traditional methods of healing.
- Offering group-based support, intervention and social activities and promoting participants’ interdependence in the community.
- Providing daily in-home services to participants for the first thirty days after move-in. Providing Monday to Friday in-home services in the subsequent eleven months.
- Being available 24/7 to participants and landlords for a minimum of three months after move-in.
24/7 Onsite Support
Onsite, multidisciplinary teams support individuals experiencing episodic or chronic homelessness by providing a combination of intensive case management and assertive community treatment services depending on the unique needs of individual participants. Staff are available 24/7 and provide harm reduction, service planning, daily living assistance, crisis prevention and management, engagement and relationship building and integration with the community. The onsite support services include:
- Trained staff response to critical incidents/safety issues due to disruptive behaviours, mental health issues and drug-induced psychosis. Work proactively with participants to develop more constructive responses to conflict and minimize violence, intimidation and exploitation.
- Intensive, one-on-one engagement to build relationships with participants and draw them into participating in services.
- Partnerships with medical staff, elders and knowledge keepers to provide a two-eyed seeing approach, integrating Indigenous knowledge and traditional methods of healing.
- Supporting participants to make progress on individualized goals related to recovery, health, independence and social integration.
- Providing, or facilitating access to, a variety of services (advocacy, psychiatry, primary care, trauma recovery, family repatriation, justice system interactions, harm reduction, cultural activities, daily living skills and supported employment services).
- Identifying, educating and reducing harms associated with survival lifestyles (substance use, nutrition, sexual health, etc.), while promoting self-care.
- Assisting with daily living skills, include money management, cooking, personal care and maintaining one’s personal environment. Delivering laundry services, either directly or through a third-party provider.
- Developing a food services plan; participants are provided meals or receive assistance with meal preparation.
- Implementing security and safety practices, including visitor management, site and common areas management, sign in/sign out procedures.
- Offering group-based support, intervention and social activities. Promoting participants’ interdependence in the community.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
EOIs will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee, based on how well the proposal meets the below criteria:
The department reserves the right to shortlist and contact any or all proponents to clarify their EOI and to select EOIs which best meet the established requirements.
EOI INSTRUCTIONS
Please complete the Support Service Provider List Questionnaire to apply.
After submitting the questionnaire, please email your organization’s most recent audited financial statements as an attachment to homelessness@gov.mb.ca with the subject line Support Service EOI – [Organization Name] – Audited Financial Statements.
Submissions will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and those meeting the criteria will be posted quarterly. The first intake deadline is May 30, 2025. Service providers are encouraged to send in their submissions by this date to be considered in this first round for projects in development.
The department reserves the right to work with service providers not meeting criteria to attempt to address any issues.
If you have any questions, please contact Maia Brothers at homelessness@gov.mb.ca.