Full Podcast: https://lovethenorth.ca/article/261011-sudbury-ward-12-matteo-raso Housing is central to his platform, but he also points out that many people living in shelters or on the street are dealing with mental-health challenges that make it much harder to regain stability. That is why Raso supports continuing to provide **mental-health care inside homeless shelters.** He acknowledges that mental-health care is primarily a provincial responsibility, which limits what a municipality can do on its own. But he says Sudbury has already stepped beyond what cities would normally be expected to provide by supporting mental-health services within shelters — and he believes that should continue. The idea is important because simply giving someone a bed for the night does not necessarily address what put them into crisis. A person may also need counselling, addiction treatment, help managing medication, assistance navigating government programs, or someone who can connect them with longer-term care. Without that support, someone can move through a shelter and still face the exact same problems when they leave. Raso’s broader focus is to create a path from **shelter to transitional housing to permanent affordable housing**, while recognizing that mental-health support may be necessary throughout that process. **A shelter can provide temporary safety. Mental-health workers can help provide the support needed to move forward.** For Raso, the City cannot solve every part of the mental-health and addiction crisis on its own — but it can make sure people entering the shelter system are connected with support instead of simply being given a place to sleep. #Sudbury #MatteoRaso #Ward12 #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Housing #AddictionRecovery #CommunitySupport #GreaterSudbury #NorthernOntario #LoveTheNorth