Social Workers Address Rising Client Deaths Linked to Homelessness

Social workers in Saint John are grappling with the tragic reality of 38 client deaths linked to homelessness over the past year. Misty Schofield, a social worker and co-ordinator at Fresh Start Services’ HOPE program, reflected on this grim statistic while celebrating Christmas in her warm home. The contrast between her life and the struggles of her clients prompted her to share her thoughts on social media.

“I wrote the post because I think Christmas creates a very brutal contrast,” Schofield stated. “I was sitting in a warm house surrounded by my kids. The dissonance felt relatively unbearable.” As of December 25, 2025, Fresh Start Services had recorded 36 deaths among its clients, a number that has since increased to 38.

The challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness are profound. According to Melanie Vautour, executive director of Fresh Start Services, many of these individuals struggle to manage chronic health conditions while living unsheltered. “When you’re living unsheltered, there’s no way to manage a variety of health conditions,” Vautour explained. “People can’t manage things like heart disease or diabetes.” The ongoing exposure to harsh weather also takes a significant toll on physical health, compounded by the perils of a toxic drug supply and the risk of overdose.

Even when individuals manage to secure housing, the consequences of years spent on the streets often resurface. Vautour noted that many clients arrive with a legacy of unmanaged health issues: “Even when someone like the HOPE team gets them housed, they still have those years of unmanaged health conditions that create more health problems.”

The emotional weight of each death has taken a toll on social workers. Schofield expressed the profound impact these losses have on her team. “It’s heavy, and you carry names. Not only do you carry those stories, but you carry the knowledge of who is at risk next,” she said. “You attend funerals, and you show up for the next person anyway.”

The situation has also highlighted a phenomenon known as moral injury, where social workers witness preventable harm without the means to intervene. Schofield articulated the frustration felt by her colleagues: “I am tired of death being treated as an unfortunate outcome, instead of a predictable one.” Vautour, who has years of frontline experience, echoed similar sentiments. “It’s not just the loss of people; it’s seeing them come back into homelessness from housing and slowly losing hope,” she remarked. “We’re trying to keep them hopeful.”

Efforts to Address the Crisis

As the executive director, Vautour faces the challenge of maintaining morale among staff when setbacks occur frequently. “For me, it’s gathering everyone and then kind of going through that and trying to support staff, when we could be doing this again tomorrow, or again next week,” she said.

Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Schofield remains committed to her work. “We often know who’s at risk next, and instead of being able to act, we’re forced to watch that sequence play out anyway,” she noted.

Vautour has observed some positive changes in government-funded support systems aimed at aiding chronically unhoused individuals. “The province has started taking those steps,” she said. “We’re seeing outreach teams, we have Out of the Colds, we have hubs, and we have the Acres transitional housing. We’re seeing that movement starting. It’s just going to take a long time.”

While acknowledging these improvements, Vautour stressed the urgency of the situation. “In the meantime, while those systems work to catch up and start moving in the right direction, we have more people that we’ll lose.”

The continued loss of life among those experiencing homelessness underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive response to this crisis in Saint John. Social workers like Schofield and Vautour remain steadfast in their commitment to provide support and advocate for those who are vulnerable.