First published in 1999. This book focuses on the health and health care use of families after they have left the shelter system, with the first three chapters dedicated to a review of relevant literature. The research is based on self-reported data collected during a follow up study of 543 poor New York City mothers who were first interviewed in 1988.

There have always been homeless people in the United States, but their plight has only recently stirred widespread public reaction and concern. Part of this new recognition stems from the problem's prevalence: the number of homeless individuals, while hard to pin down exactly, is rising. In light of this, Congress asked the Institute of Medicine to find out whether existing health care programs were ignoring the homeless or delivering care to them inefficiently. This book is the report prepared by a committee of experts who examined these problems through visits to city slums and impoverished rural areas, and through an analysis of papers written by leading scholars in the field.

Chronic homelessness is a highly complex social problem of national importance. The problem has elicited a variety of societal and public policy responses over the years, concomitant with fluctuations in the economy and changes in the demographics of and attitudes toward poor and disenfranchised citizens. In recent decades, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the philanthropic community have worked hard to develop and implement programs to solve the challenges of homelessness, and progress has been made. However, much more remains to be done. Importantly, the results of various efforts, and especially the efforts to reduce homelessness among veterans in recent years, have shown that the problem of homelessness can be successfully addressed. Although a number of programs have been developed to meet the needs of persons experiencing homelessness, this report focuses on one particular type of intervention: permanent supportive housing (PSH). Permanent Supportive Housing focuses on the impact of PSH on health care outcomes and its cost-effectiveness. The report also addresses policy and program barriers that affect the ability to bring the PSH and other housing models to scale to address housing and health care needs.

First published in 1999. This book focuses on the health and health care use of families after they have left the shelter system, with the first three chapters dedicated to a review of relevant literature. The research is based on self-reported data collected during a follow up study of 543 poor New York City mothers who were first interviewed in 1988.

Given the significant investment HUD has made in transitional housing (TH) programs since enactment of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assist. Act, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. TH has been an important element of HUD¿s efforts to respond to the housing needs of homeless families and individuals through a continuum of care. This study examines whether TH makes a difference in the lives of the families it serves and whether it is more effective for some homeless people than others. This study follows 179 families in 36 TH programs within five communities for one year after leaving the program. TH programs, and certain characteristics of the programs, were found to be associated with positive outcomes. Illustrations.

​​​​​​Homelessness among families with children in the U.S. is rising rapidly due to the economic downturn. Supporting Homeless Families: Current Practices and Future Directions aims to raise the standard of services provided to families without homes through practices that are strengths-based and culturally competent. This book provides a contextual overview of family homelessness. An ecological and developmental framework for understanding the implications of homelessness from infancy through adulthood are presented with reference to existing research. The book also addresses innovative designs for providing collaboration between and among diverse services that interface with families experiencing homelessness. In doing so, the importance of providing families with culturally competent services that support them during episodes of homelessness as well as the period of re-housing are addressed. Examples of empirically proven interventions and best practices are showcased, and roadblocks to success and sustainability are discussed.