Low Barrier Health Care

Shelter Health Clinic

We are committed to community collaboration, partnership and work tirelessly with Hamilton community and social service organizations to offer low-barrier access to health care to our community and those we serve – every day. Through our partnership with the Shelter Health Network, a collaboration of health care professionals and social service organizations, we’re reaching high-risk populations of people who do not have stable housing and who have complex health issues.

CLINIC FOCUS:

Preventative health services

Primary and chronic care

Mental health and addictions treatment

Trans-inclusive health care

To help remove barriers to accessing health care, YWCA Hamilton provides a space at 75 MacNab Street at no cost to health care professionals and clients accessing services, to deliver health care clinics two days each week. The primary focus is on primary care, mental health and addictions treatment, along with chronic care, preventative health services and trans-inclusive health care. Our goal is to ensure that all individuals, with our without a place to call home, has access to quality health care within their community.

This location is accessible through buzzing at the main doors and Front Staff will direct you to the clinic location on the lower level. For a full list of days and times of other Shelter Health locations across Hamilton, please go to their website at https://shelterhealthnetwork.ca/?page_id=759

CLINIC HOURS:

Monday 1-4pm

Tuesday 1-4pm

Thursday 1-4pm

Safe Use Space

In April 2022, a safer drug use space was opened within Carole Anne’s Place (CAP), our low-barrier drop in for unsheltered women and gender diverse folks in Hamilton.

This Urgent Public Health Needs Site is permitted by an exemption provided by the Office of Controlled Drugs and Substances and Health Canada.

YWCA Hamilton’s Safe Use Space is the first program of its kind in Hamilton and the second gender-specific consumption space in Canada.

Our Safe Use Space is intentionally designed to support women and non-binary people who use substances and who are accessing YWCA Hamilton Housing Services (TLP and CAP) to reduce risks and losses faced by substance in the face of the toxic drug supply.

Trauma informed support is offered by Harm Reduction Workers and Peer Support staff, in partnership with HAMSMaRT and Keeping Six which aims to support those accessing the service with safe, supportive, trauma-based wrap around care. Services are available nightly from 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. for those accessing the drop in.

Safe Supply

In partnership with HAMSMaRT, The AIDS Network and Keeping Six, YWCA Hamilton has been successful in obtaining funding to deliver a high-quality safe supply program with wraparound supports, street outreach, peer outreach worker training and job placements, and gender-specific programming for women (inclusive of cis and trans women) and non-binary people at the YWCA of Hamilton.