But when a hospital builds its own supportive housing for their highest users who are experiencing homelessness it benefits directly from the reduction in demand for acute care by the improved health of their patients.

🧵5/x

The wrong pocket problem is when the department making an initial investment doesn't benefit from the savings. E.g. a housing ministry that invests in affordable housing doesn’t get the health savings. Those go to other areas of government.

🧵4/x

Our policies are reactive. We tend to spend far more on harm rather than preventing it. The wrong pocket problem can explain this (at least partially).

🧵3/x

We face crises in health care, housing, homelessness, and mental health and addictions but we treat these issues distinctly despite extensive research demonstrating the links between health outcomes and social determinants such as income and access to housing.

🧵2/x

Thanks to the Future of Canada Project and The Walrus Lab for having me on the latest episode of the Imagine 2080 podcast.

Listen: lnkfi.re/imagine2080

#onpoli #socialpolicy #canada #future