Women staying longer at P.E.I. shelter because there's nowhere else to go, staff say
CBC
Staff at Blooming House, the women's shelter in Charlottetown, say they're seeing big demand for beds.
Most nights, the P.E.I. shelter is either full or close to full — and many women are having to stay there for months because there's nowhere else to go.
Brynn Devine and Liz Corney co-founded Blooming House about four years ago. They say a lack of housing and space in addictions and mental health treatment programs means women have to stay longer at the shelter.
Corney, who works as director of development, said things are going well at the shelter in terms of dealing with the demand, but that it's too bad so many people need it.
"We're very busy. We've seen a steady incline over the last couple of years," said Corney.
"We are seeing a lot of women need the service, and a lot of women coming back repeatedly."
Devine, the shelter's executive director, said they see a wide range in women — everyone from 18-year-olds up to senior citizens, people dealing with mental health or addictions, and people working who can't find or afford housing.
"We're hovering very close to that full mark," she said.
"It becomes almost precarious. We have no wiggle room."
Devine said it's good to see women feeling comfortable using the service, and women wanting to stay on for long periods of time, but that it's not ideal considering it's supposed to be an emergency service which lets women stay from later afternoon to early morning hours.
When it first opened in 2019, the eight-bed shelter was about half full, with most women staying from one night to two weeks.
Staff said in the past they've been able to move some women on to more permanent housing, but it's getting much harder to find these days.
"We're lacking in almost all of the housing options at this point," Devine said.
She said other options needed to help women move on would include community care, live-in addiction care, mental health facilities, and affordable housing.
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