MAP’s Navigator program pairs hospital patients who are homeless with an outreach counsellor—a “Navigator.” The Navigator gets to know the patient and connects them with the health and social support they need to break cycles of homelessness and poor health, and to move forward in securing housing that works for them.

“It’s like having a super advocate,” shared Dr. Stephen Hwang, project lead.

The program started at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and thanks to the Even the Odds partnership with Staples Canada, has expanded to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, increasing the program’s reach to over 1000 patients served to date. The program will be launching at the University of Montreal Hospital Centre later this year.

This article from The Canadian Press sheds light on the day-to-day work of the Navigators, and how far a personal connection with patients can go in helping them get the care they need.