A man collapsed Tuesday afternoon during a press conference announcing the establishment of in-house health-care services at Toronto’s five newest shelters. Moments earlier, Hoskins announced that the province in partnership with health-care providers, shelter operators, the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network and city staff is supporting the development and implementation of a new shelter health services pilot project. Zsager, who was formerly homeless, welcomed the news and said it’s “unacceptable and ridiculous” that those in the shelter system often have to wait months, even up to a year, to access essential health services. Hoskins, who also spoke about the direct correlation between barriers to accessing health care and life expectancy, said it’s time to rethink the way health care is delivered to society’s most vulnerable. “This is an incredibly positive step forward,” he said, adding an advisory committee consisting of shelter operators, shelter users and health-service providers would help guide and shape the project, which he hopes will eventually be expanded across the shelter system.

Source: thestar January 24, 2018 01:52 UTC