Testing a Typology of Family Homelessness

Dennis CulhaneUniversity of Pennsylvania

Stephen MetrauxUniversity of the Sciences in Philadelphia

Jung Min ParkUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jesse ValenteState of Massachusetts

Maryann SchretzmanCity of New York

Background

Singles typology experience But families are different:

- much lower MH/SA rates

- not different from poor housed families

- relatively homogeneous Potential confounders – policy/program factors

- use of shelter system as queue for subsidies

- transitional shelter as a reform movement

Cluster Distributions: Persons and Shelter Days Consumed(Single Adults in Philadelphia)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Transitional Episodic Chronic

% of Persons % Days Used

Transitionals: 1.19 stays 20.4 days

Episodics: 3.84 stays 72.8 days

Chronics: 1.53 stays 252.4 days

Disability Condition & Veteran Status By Cluster (Single Adults in Philadelphia)

0%10%

20%30%40%50%

60%70%80%

90%

Mental Illness Medical SubstanceAbuse

Any One

Transitional Episodic Chronic

Methodology Four jurisdictions – Philadelphia, NYC,

Columbus OH, and Massachusetts HMIS data – new admissions followed for two

or three year periods 30 day exit criterion applied Cluster analysis, specifying three cluster

solution Database merges to identify service histories

Health and Social Service Databases Merged

In one city: Medicaid, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Child Welfare

In one state: Medicaid, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Child Welfare

In one city: Child Welfare

Results: Cluster Solution(Massachusetts, family shelter users)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Transitional Episodic Long-stayers% of Persons % Days Used

Transitionals: 1.0 stays 105 days

Episodics: 2.0 stays 195 days

Long-Stayers: 1.0 stays 444 days

Intensive Service Histories of Families

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Child WelfarePlacement

Inpt MH Inpt SA Any one

Transitional Episodic Long-Term

Income Sources

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Earned Income SSI

Transitional Episodic Long-Term (n=99)

The Average Cost of Shelter Stays by Type

(Massachusetts)

Transitional $11,550Episodic $21,450Long-term $48,440

Does not include McKinney-Vento funding or non-DTA public service contracts.

Summary Cluster patterns are robust across sites Most families (75%) leave quickly and don’t return A small number (5%) return repeatedly 20% of families have long stays, using 50% of

resources BUT – unlike singles – long stays do not indicate

personal barriers to housing stability

Conclusions Policies and programs driving long stays Characteristics of “graduates” may reflect

selection effects of policies and programs Most costly service users are not differentially

service-needy Need for reform

Volume

Cost per Case

Model Cost by Volume Service System for Addressing Housing Emergencies

Prevention Supportive Housing

Shelter Admission

Diversion, Relocation and Transitional Rental Assistance

Mainstream systems

Community-Based programs

Future Research Develop assessment tools for classifying families Develop housing assistance models to relocate

families and test efficacy by type of family Use HMIS for assessment and tracking outcomes,

possibly routinely check for service histories of families

Study selection behaviors of facilities, role of policies