It's awful. ODSP rates are way below the poverty line.

Getting across the fiscal imperative of the social determinants is more important than ever given the crisis in health care, housing, etc.

For sure. My hope is that by highlighting these "pooled" budget arrangements that facilitate a positive cycle of preventative investments, we can improve the way we communicate these issues to decision-makers. (cont'd)

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