CHEO appoints Lindy Samson to lead new health and housing partnership with the City of Ottawa

Dr. Lindy Samson, who concludes her term as CHEO's Chief of Staff and Chief Medical Officer on Aug. 31, will take on a new two-year role as the Strategic Lead for Integrated Child and Youth Systems and Population Health Outcomes. Dr. Samson will remain at CHEO while working closely with the City's Community and Social Services Department to strengthen connections between health, housing and community services and improve health outcomes for children in our city. 

Housing is one of the strongest drivers of child and youth health and their current and future well-being. Research consistently shows that children who experience housing instability face greater challenges with health, educational success, long-term financial stability and access to necessary care and support. 

"Families are telling us they need help navigating complex systems and accessing stable housing, community supports, mental health services and health care," said Vera Etches, President and CEO of CHEO. "We know there are gaps that require greater attention and collaboration. This initiative gives us an opportunity to work differently with our partners and create better support for children and youth."  

This spring, the City of Ottawa launched its renewed 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan for 2026–2035. It focuses on addressing the housing needs of people with low-to-moderate incomes across Ottawa, spanning the continuum from unsheltered homelessness to affordable rental housing. As part of advancing this plan, Ottawa’s Family Homelessness Strategy aims to help families stabilize and find the shortest path to safe, appropriate housing. Dr. Samson’s experience will be instrumental in advancing key joint priorities across the health, housing and homelessness system, with the goal of improving outcomes for children and youth in Ottawa. 

Through the initiative, CHEO and the City of Ottawa will work alongside community organizations, educators and social service providers to improve service coordination, make it easier for families to access support, develop shared measures to better understand community needs and those of families experiencing housing challenges. 

"Many of the barriers families face cannot be solved by any one organization acting alone," said Dr. Samson. "This work is about bringing partners together around families' needs so they can access the right supports at the right time." 

This work will also look to establish a program that evaluates and measures the effectiveness and benefits of a more integrated system. 

"Housing stability is fundamental to the health and well-being of children, youth and families across the city of Ottawa," said Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services, City of Ottawa.

"This partnership reflects the shared commitment outlined in the City’s refreshed 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan to better integrate housing, health and community supports. By working together across sectors, we can strengthen coordinated pathways to care, better support families experiencing housing challenges, and ensure that housing is recognized as a critical foundation for health and well-being. We are pleased to partner with CHEO on this important initiative." 

The work supports CHEO's Connected Care strategy, which brings healthcare, community and social service partners together around the needs of children, youth and families. By strengthening relationships across sectors, the initiative aims to make services easier to access and more responsive to the needs of families.