Nunavik orgs open new supervised housing for at-risk people

The Uvattinut Supervised Apartments officially opened in Puvirnituq Sept. 10. (PHOTO COURTESY OF MLA JEAN BOUCHER)

A group of Nunavik organizations have opened the region’s first supervised housing aimed at lower income tenants living with mental health issues.

The Uvattinut Supervised Apartments, a project of Nunavik’s Regional Board of Health and Social Services, the Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau and Kativik Regional Government, officially opened in Puvirnituq Sept. 10. The project also received a $2.6 million investment from Quebec’s social housing agency, the Société d’habitation du Quebec.

Uvattinut offers eight fully-equipped apartments, open primarily to residents of Puvirnituq, although it welcomes applicants from other Nunavik communities.

The apartments are designed for low-income Inuit who struggle with mental health problems and are considered at risk for homelessness.

“Because of the special needs of its clientele, Uvattinut can succeed only if there is a high level of collaboration with the community of Puvirnituq and the (local) Inuulitsivik health centre, which has expertise in mental illness,” said Nunavik health board chairperson Elisapi Uitangak in a Sept. 10 release.

Inuulitsivik’s participation is vital, the NRBHSS said, as it’s the only organization that can provide the services required by residents of Uvattinut, which include nursing, social services and mental-health rehabilitation offered through the Aaniavituqarq crisis centre.

Staff from both Uvattinut and Aaniavituqarq, along with local social workers, are expected to help residents with medication, money management and personal issues, maintenance of each apartment, and provide clients with social and recreational activities.

Given the health needs of its tenants, staff at Uvattinut and Aaniavituqarq will also discourage unwanted visitors such as drug dealers and prevent squatters from taking over their apartments, the NRBHSS said.