About Us
Ottawa Inner City Health Inc. (OICH) started in 2001 as a response to local healthcare providers struggling to meet the needs of people who were homeless and had complex health needs. Many members of our community were dying from HIV/AIDS in homeless shelters, on the streets, on friends couches and in hospitals. We opened our first program—a palliative care hospice in partnership with the Ottawa Mission.
Since that time, we continued to grow and open more programs throughout homeless shelters in the city, our aim was to ensure that people facing barriers to good health received the same quality of healthcare as other Canadians. We did this through improved coordination and integration of services for people who are homeless and have chronic mental and substance use health issues.
Since that time, we continued to grow and open more programs throughout homeless shelters in the city, our aim was to ensure that people facing barriers to good health received the same quality of healthcare as other Canadians. We did this through improved coordination and integration of services for people who are homeless and have chronic mental and substance use health issues.
All OICH programs are operated in partnership with shelters, housing providers, hospitals, and community health providers.
Now, over 20 years later, OICH has 9 special shelter-based healthcare services, 5 supportive housing services and outreach programs to help people with their health concerns.
The healthcare we provide is firmly rooted in evidence-based research, a harm reduction framework and a fierce love of our clients and the incredible community they bring to us. Our clients are resilient, and strong and they continue to be our biggest teachers every day.
The healthcare we provide is firmly rooted in evidence-based research, a harm reduction framework and a fierce love of our clients and the incredible community they bring to us. Our clients are resilient, and strong and they continue to be our biggest teachers every day.
