A sharp rise in Emergency Department visits by people experiencing homelessness has prompted CIUSSS West-Central Montreal to launch an innovative pilot, aimed at fundamentally changing what happens when these patients are discharged.
At the JGH, visits from this population have surged from 149 in 2022–2023 to 339 in 2024–2025. This increase has put mounting pressure on the Emergency Department and inpatient units, with many patients returning within days or weeks, unable to break the cycle of homelessness, illness and repeated hospital use.
To better support these individuals, the CIUSSS’s Directorate of Mental Health and Addiction has partnered with the YMCA on Tupper to introduce A Pathway to Recovery, a three‑month pilot that creates a direct bridge between hospital care and safe, supported transitional housing.
Launched on January 12, the project transfers eligible patients directly to dedicated wings at the YMCA immediately after discharge. The facility offers 48 private transitional rooms, some of which can be adapted for couples, addressing a key barrier for individuals who hesitate to seek help if it means separating from their partner.
CIUSSS nurses, social workers and homelessness/addiction liaison workers are embedded at the site, working daily alongside YMCA psychosocial staff and housing‑access partners. This co‑located model enables rapid stabilization, ongoing clinical support and a structured path toward secure housing.
Since launch, the occupancy rate has already reached 58 percent, with new admissions continuing daily. While the JGH remains the main referral source, teams across the CIUSSS—including mental health, rehabilitation and community programs—are increasingly identifying patients who could benefit from the program. Our CIUSSS is also working in partnership with the MUHC, in order to help identify patients from the Montreal General Hospital, who may benefit from the program as well.
The initiative draws inspiration from Alberta’s “Bridge Healing” model, but this marks the first time in Montreal that a hospital network, clinical teams and the YMCA have partnered to create a fully integrated pathway from hospital to transitional housing.
By offering immediate stability and sustained support after discharge, CIUSSS West-Central Montreal and the YMCA aim to reduce repeated Emergency Department use and improve long‑term outcomes for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
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