Managed alcohol program

[1] The centres operating a managed alcohol program are distinct from typical homeless shelters.

[2] These shelters ensure that high-risk homeless individuals can avoid "exposure to extreme weather conditions, assault on the street, alcohol poisoning, or the substitution of non-beverage for alcohol products".

[3] These costs involved the loss of productivity, and the provision of services such as health care and law enforcement.

[4] The report stated that between 8,100 and 9,100 deaths were attributable to alcohol abuse, representing over 500,000 potential years of life lost (PYLL).

[6] Alcohol abuse also resulted in over 1.5 million acute care days in a hospital.

[9] Its target clients are homeless men with "difficult behaviours, mental illness or severe alcohol and drug problem".

[2] Although permitted up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day, the average client consumes six drinks daily.

[13] A study conducted by the Ottawa Police Service tracked 23 individuals before and after admission into the program between 2001 and 2007.

[11] In a 2011 study prepared for the South West LHIN in London, a domiciliary hostel managed alcohol program was expected to cost $45/person/day to provide up to 20 beds with one full-time nurse, one full-time social worker, two full-time equivalent registered nurses, six health workers, and an on-site physician for six hours per week.