The Executive Director of End Homelessness St. John’s says a significant investment needs to be made into housing to help people transition from the Waterford Hospital into the community.

Doug Pawson says housing is health care, and health care is housing.

He was responding to comments from mental health advocate Kristi Allan who wants more detail on how that will work.

He says the current options available “are very limited, if even available” and they don’t want people to be discharged from the Waterford into emergency housing, which is something that they’ve been seeing.

The Department of Health meanwhile says government is actively working with health authorities, community partners and family members and people living with mental illness and substance use disorders to support the replacement of the Waterford and further expansion of community-based programs and services.

The department says work is already underway to support the transition of people from the Waterford to the community with housing and wrap around supports in place.