DNSSAB to Assume Direct Delivery of Outreach Services
New model strengthens integration between homelessness outreach and health supports
As of May 1, 2026, the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) will begin directly delivering Outreach Services across the District to support individuals experiencing homelessness. This change follows a recent procurement process for District-Wide Outreach Services that did not result in a successful proponent.
As a result, DNSSAB has determined that direct delivery is the most practical approach to ensure continued outreach support within the community. In making this decision, DNSSAB’s Board of Directors confirmed that Outreach Services are essential for individuals experiencing homelessness across the District.
Outreach plays a critical role in engaging people where they are, building trust, responding to immediate needs, and connecting individuals with housing, health care, and social supports. DNSSAB recognizes that transitions can present challenges and that it will take time to fully establish the service.
Due to budgetary constraints, services may not look exactly the same as before; however, maintaining essential outreach supports remains a priority, alongside strengthening the integration of health-focused care.
About the New Outreach Service Model Outreach Services will be delivered to individuals experiencing homelessness through a revised model designed to improve coordination, strengthen health integration, and continue collaboration with community partners:
• District-Wide Outreach Services delivered through a coordinated model, supporting service delivery across the District, with a service location in North Bay supporting district-wide operations
• Ongoing collaboration with community partners, including the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and Coordinated Access Nipissing, to support individuals experiencing homelessness
• Enhanced, health-focused outreach through expanded Community Paramedicine involvement, supporting access to health care while Outreach Services are delivered during regular business hours While outreach service hours will be more limited than under previous models, DNSSAB is moving forward with a more integrated approach that strengthens connections between outreach and health care, supporting more coordinated services across the District.
Outreach Service Locations and Schedule Community Paramedicine plays a key role by providing health-focused outreach at locations across the District, working alongside outreach staff and community partners.
These services are delivered through scheduled Community Paramedicine Outreach Clinics at the following locations:
Location Schedule (subject to change) The Gathering Place
Suswin Village Every other week Every other week
CAMP Main Street (Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre) CAMP Main Street (Outreach Team)
As scheduled CAMP Main Street (Sacred Way) Every week
Every other Saturday West Nipissing Unsheltered West Nipissing – No More Tears West Nipissing Monthly Monthly North Bay Unsheltered Every other Thursday Northern Pines - On-site Community Paramedicine support Scheduled as needed Canadian Mental Health Association (Outreach provided as needed at the drop-in centre)
Approximately every three months The Community Paramedicine Outreach Clinics improve access to health care, support early intervention, and help individuals connect more easily with follow-up services. They are a key component of the integrated health and outreach approach. Alignment With the Outreach Services Mandate
The mandate for outreach services for homeless individuals is to engage and support people experiencing homelessness by meeting them where they are, both physically and in terms of their readiness for assistance. The core focus is to proactively build trust, assess needs, and connect individuals with essential resources such as shelter, food, health care, and social supports. These services aim to reduce barriers to access, promote social inclusion, and facilitate pathways to stable housing and improved well being, all while respecting the dignity and autonomy of each individual.
The transition to direct delivery is intended to support the continued delivery of these services in a way that remains consistent with this mandate, while responding to changing service needs and system pressures. The focus moving forward is on maintaining essential outreach supports and ensuring coordinated, accessible services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Looking Ahead DNSSAB will continue working closely with community partners, including the CAB, and Coordinated Access Nipissing as Outreach Services are established under the new model. The Board remains committed to maintaining essential outreach functions and strengthening integration between homelessness outreach and health supports across the District.
About DNSSAB: The District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) is the service delivery agency for essential human services to the residents of the Nipissing District.
