Mission Services of London says it will be reducing staff numbers and closing crash beds.
This comes after the local outreach group’s request for an increase of more than $700,000 to its previous funding was denied by the South West Local Health Integration Network.
The layoffs will affect 10 full-time staff members who operate the agency’s crash bed program.
The agency will close the 21 crash beds at its York Street shelter by April 1.
“There are several programs that we have been operating for years, for decades, that are based on government funding but that funding has shown very little increases over the years or sometimes no increases,” said executive director Peter Rozeluk.
“We’ve come to the point where there are a couple of programs where we’re funding at least 50 per cent or more of a particular program that was originally a government-funded program.”
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Rozeluk says the crash beds help clients whose mental health or addiction issues prevent them from accessing traditional shelter beds.
Service at Quintin Warner House, Mission Services’ 14-bed residential addiction treatment facility for men, will also be impacted.
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“I think we’ll still be able to provide treatment for the same number of men but the question is: over the long term will that be as effective and as useful? I think that is still something that we’ll have to see over time. We’re not convinced that it is.”
He added that the issue isn’t unique to London, as Mission Services across the province are experiencing similar funding shortfalls.
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