Community Case Management Intervention for Hard-to-Place Homeless Families Leaving Emergency Shelter

Abstract

The Community Case Management Intervention was designed to fill a gap in services for hard to place homeless families who leave emergency shelters. There were 51 adults and 78 children who participated in the research. Families who met the criteria and volunteered for the study were randomly assigned to an intervention or comparison condition. Intensive case management was provided to families in the intervention condition upon their exit from the shelter. Services included referral, advocacy, support, and assistance with family problem-solving and decision-making. Comparison families did not receive similar services. Results of the study are encouraging and show that families in the intervention felt greater levels of social support and greater family unity.