Community members gathered on April 4 to celebrate the official opening t̓ɛχɛθot (teh-heh-thot), which means to warm oneself by the fire, a new complex care housing program providing specialized support for Tla’amin Nation citizens living with mental health and substance use challenges.
Located in the village of tišosəm, the four new homes offer a safe, stable environment paired with wraparound health, cultural and social supports, according to a media release from Tla’amin. The homes are the first in Tla’amin to be purpose-built for citizens requiring complex care — including primary care, mental health and addictions support, peer programming, daily living assistance and culturally based healing.
The morning’s ceremony began with an ancestral food-burning ceremony to honour loved ones lost to addiction and mental health struggles. Traditional foods were offered to the spirit world, with families invited to bring plates for their own relations.
Community services housepost Brandon Louie reflected on the importance of taking care of the ancestors when doing any kind of work.
“Our Tla’amin families have suffered many sudden losses,” stated Louie. “Taking care of our relations in the spiritual realm brings healing — both in their world and in ours. Our ceremony today starts this new program off on the right foot.”
The burning was followed by a cedar brushing and official opening of the new units.
“We stand with the Tla’amin Nation community today as they honour their loved ones lost to struggles with mental health and substance use,” stated provincial minister of health Josie Osborne. “The opening of t̓ɛχɛθot brings an opportunity for people living with overlapping mental health, substance use and cognitive challenges to enter stable housing, receive wraparound care and take steps toward healing.”
The homes are located close to essential services in the community, ensuring tenants are supported by nearby health, housing and social services, according to the release. As part of the program, Tla’amin Health has hired an Indigenous cultural support worker to walk alongside individuals accessing these specialized supports.
t̓ɛχɛθot is a partnership between Tla’amin, Vancouver Coastal Health and Lift Community Services, through the qathet region’s complex care housing program. The release stated that the program, launched in 2021, was developed to serve citizens with overlapping mental health, addictions and cognitive challenges, and is the result of ongoing collaboration and community advocacy.
According to the release, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for safe, supportive housing in Tla’amin became increasingly urgent. In response, Tla’amin secured six emergency housing trailers through the provincial reaching home fund. While this addressed an immediate need, Tla’amin recognized a broader range of housing was necessary — from emergency and transitional units, to supportive, social rental and private ownership models.
The complex care housing program supports individuals living with significant mental health, addiction, or co-occurring challenges who are at risk of homelessness. In Tla’amin, this includes people with overlapping needs related to substance use, trauma, mental illness, and brain injury.
t̓ɛχɛθot represents a meaningful step toward healing, dignity, and housing justice, according to the release. The name captures the moment when warmth returns to the body. It reflects the journey of many Tla’amin people who have experienced homelessness or housing instability and are now returning to community, care, and connection, the release stated.
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