Stopping the cycle: Why prevention is the key to ending youth homelessness
Dr. Sean Kidd’s research shows how early support can change the path for at-risk youth

For many young people in Canada, homelessness rarely starts all at once—it builds quietly over time. A missed class turns into weeks of absence, grades begin to slip, and problems at home grow. Without support at the right time, these early warning signs can quickly escalate into crisis.

Youth experiencing homelessness face significantly higher risks of suicide and overdose than their peers. In Canada, their mortality rate is at least 12 times higher.

Efforts to address youth homelessness have often focused on emergency responses such as shelters and short-term housing. While these supports are essential, research shows that housing alone is not enough. Within one year, about one in four youth return to homelessness. Many who remain housed continue to face serious challenges, including poor mental health, social isolation, and limited opportunities. They are often described as “stable but stuck.”

These outcomes reflect a broader issue: Canada’s current approach is largely reactive.

“We have a crisis-oriented system where we are building more and more emergency shelters,” says Dr. Sean Kidd, a clinical psychologist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “But every step into the shelter system makes it harder to change direction. We need to support youth earlier, ideally before they ever experience homelessness.”

Dr. Kidd’s research focuses on improving outcomes during key transition points, including early intervention and the critical period after youth secure housing. He and his team developed and tested the Housing Outreach Project Collaboration (HOPC), a program that supports youth during this vulnerable transition period. HOPC integrates mental health care, peer support from individuals with lived experience, and coordinated services across sectors.

Evidence from HOPC shows promising results. There is excellent sustained youth engagement in HOPC and positive outcomes in housing and progress in education and employment.

The program also has promise in reducing reliance on emergency services. In one case, a young person with a history of frequent emergency department visits related to severe mental health crises was able to stabilize through HOPC support. With guidance from a peer support worker and a psychologist, the individual moved from repeated crises toward greater stability and community involvement. HOPC has also demonstrated cultural relevance for Indigenous youth populations.

While HOPC is designed to reduce the risk of returning to homelessness, Dr. Kidd’s work underscores the importance of intervening earlier. The goal is not only to respond more effectively, but to prevent homelessness before it occurs.

Schools play an important role in early identification. Warning signs can include declining attendance, changes in academic performance, and family challenges. However, access to school-based mental health assessments and supports can take up to two years, leaving many young people without timely care.

Dr. Kidd is working toward an upstream prevention model that emphasizes early identification and coordinated support within schools and communities. By reaching youth before challenges escalate, it becomes possible to change outcomes, helping more young people remain housed, healthy, and connected to their communities.

This prevention-focused approach is also at the heart of A Way Home Canada, a national organization that promotes the prevention of youth homelessness and where Dr. Kidd has been a longstanding Board member. Together, this work is enabling a future where fewer young people ever have to enter the homelessness system at all.

At a glance

Issue

Each year, about 35,000 to 40,000 young people experience homelessness in Canada, making up approximately 20% of the country’s total homeless population. Despite the evidence that prevention works, Canada’s response to youth homelessness remains largely reactive, relying on emergency shelters and other crisis-driven interventions. Intervening only after a crisis is costly and less effective, and providing housing alone often leaves young people “stable but stuck,” with ongoing mental health challenges and social barriers.

Research

Dr. Sean Kidd developed the Housing Outreach Project Collaboration (HOPC) program, which integrates mental health care, peer support, and coordinated services to support youth. His research demonstrates that timely, connected supports can improve housing stability and life outcomes for young people, while also highlighting the importance of earlier intervention through school and community-based prevention.