A collaboration between the Downtown Mission and Windsor Regional Hospital is aimed at helping the homeless and those addicted to opioids.
The mission has created a full-time position they're fully funding for what's called a "Mission Navigator."
That person would work within the Emergency Room — mostly at the Ouellette Campus — to help patients being discharged.
An average of about half a dozen people a day are at the ER and have no home to be discharged to.
Mission Executive Director Ron Dunn says the service will be available when it's most in need.
"It's a fully integrated position, so they're really here five days a week. We're 24 hours. So on off hours they do have our contact numbers and we will be able to, we hope, help people who really need it when they need it."
Dunn says they're funding the nearly $100,000 program in-house.
"We've reallocated some internal resources for training and some accessories and stuff that they need, but it really is about trying to have the greatest impact. The opioid crisis, the epidemic that is just crushing our city, needs to be addressed."
Windsor Regional President and CEO David Musyj says hospital staff will be part of the program.
"Our relationship is to work in close partnership, so we help identify those who might need the help of the navigator, connect the navigator with the patient and ensure the necessary supports are there as well so when the patient is discharged there's an ongoing connection to the navigator."
Dunn explains they'll have one staff member at the ER and another at the mission.
Musyj says the intent is to reduce pressure on the ER over time and ultimately find funding to cover the costs of the program.
The Mission Navigator starts on Monday, December 17.