A randomized control trial about homelessness services in the United States . . . , you may be rolling your eyes. Yet another randomized control trial? Here are two reasons why it’s worth reading:
The research is about the application of Housing First1 for a small group of people who are notoriously hard to serve: single mothers who use illegal substances and who have custody of their children. Finding out what does work will deliver a double benefit, both to the moms and the children.
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- housing with supports
- housing only
- treatment as usual (which means being added to a waiting list for housing or a voucher. It also relies on the ‘usual’ services that are available in a community, such as emergency shelters, drop-in centres, food banks. There is no rapid access to housing.)
The second approach — ‘housing only’ — was less effective than ‘housing with supports’ (Housing First) as well as ‘treatment as usual.’ By separating treatment into three approaches, this research directly investigates the potential result of providing housing only. The research further validates the importance of the supports to the Housing First model.
The research results are published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, which requires a subscription to read the whole account of the study. You can access the article preview here: Housing and supportive services for substance use and self-efficacy among young mothers experiencing homelessness: A randomized controlled trial
For those who want to know more about this research, Natasha Slesnick, who is based at the Ohio State University, is the corresponding author for the article. Here is her email contact information: slesnick.5@osu.edu
Footnotes
- For more detail on the shelter and support associated with Housing First try: Housing First to End Homelessness, Except When It Should Be Housing Second.
