Service use before and after the provision of scatter-site Housing First for chronically homeless individuals with severe alcohol use disorders

Based on an increasing evidence base, the U.S. Federal Government has endorsed permanent supportive housing using a Housing First (HF) approach as the “clear solution” to chronic homelessness (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2010, p. 18). Canada and Europe have also implemented large-scale HF projects (Busch-Geertsema, 2011; Goering et al., 2014). HF, which entails providing low-barrier access to permanent, affordable housing (i.e., housing is not contingent on abstinence or sobriety) along with support services, typically refers to either single- or scatter-site housing. Single-site entails placing chronically homeless individuals into apartments in the same building with services provided on-site (Collins, Malone, & Clifasefi, 2013). Scatter-site refers to placing homeless adults into apartments rented from private landlords throughout the community with services provided by mobile treatment teams (Tsemberis, Gulcur, & Nakae, 2004). Both models use support services based on a harm-reduction philosophy (Collins et al., 2012; Tiderington, Stanhope, & Henwood, 2012) and are effective at increasing housing stability and ending homelessness (Collins et al., 2013; Tsemberis et al., 2004). Read more. 

Read More »