Changes in the health status of newly housed chronically homeless: the Alaska Housing First program evaluation

ABSTRACT

The Housing First (HF) model is an evidence-based supportive housing initiative that provides permanent housing for the homeless without preconditions such as sobriety or treatment compliance. This three-year longitudinal study investigated the effects of Alaska's inaugural Housing First projects in Anchorage and Fairbanks on local service usage, costs and tenant quality of life (QoL). A total of 94 tenants participated at baseline in the QoL study and 68 continued to follow-up. Cost data was collected from local municipalities, Alaska Department of Corrections, and local hospitals, health care clinics, behavioral health providers, and detox facilities. Emergency services use by tenants decreased from the year before moving into Housing First to the year after. Changes in health care costs were more variable depending on site and type of service.

KEYWORDS:

• Homelessness
• housing
• harm reduction
• quality of life
• evaluation
• costs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. David L. Driscoll was the final study Principal Investigator and Director of the Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS).

Dr. Janet M. Johnston was Task Leader for the cost effectiveness analysis and Biostatistician for the ICHS.

Ms. Chelsea Chapman was a Project Manager and Research Associate for the ICHS.

Dr. Travis Hedwig coordinated qualitative data collection and analysis and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow for the ICHS.

Ms. Sarah Shimer contributed to quantitative data collection and analysis and was a Research Associate for the ICHS.

Rebecca Barker contributed to qualitative data collection and analysis and was a Research Associate for the ICHS.

Ms. Nancy Burke contributed to overall study implementation and analysis and was Senior Program Officer for the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust).

Mr. Michael Baldwin contributed to overall study implementation and analysis and was Evaluation and Planning Officer for the Trust.

Dr. Richard A. Brown (deceased) was the original study Principal Investigator and a Post-Doctoral Fellow for the ICHS.

ORCID

Janet M. Johnston http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8738-9677

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.