Homelessness and Mental Health: Part 2. The Impact of Housing Interventions
This Editor’s Choice collection was published online in April 2021. To review all collections, please visit the Editor’s Choice section of ps.psychiatryonline.org.
This second installment of a double collection on homelessness and mental health focuses on the impact of housing interventions for individuals experiencing homelessness. Homelessness disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including individuals with mental health conditions. This collection identifies evidence-based interventions that target homelessness and associated adverse outcomes. Articles examine Housing First, a recovery-oriented approach to housing that has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce service utilization for individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as combinations of Housing First paired with assertive community treatment (ACT) models for patients with serious mental illness. Additionally, the impact of supportive housing on mental health and social relationships, shared housing approaches, and factors associated with exiting housing are reviewed. Finally, the collection offers pieces that explore the importance of addressing the housing, mental health, and social needs of youths experiencing homelessness. Individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness face unprecedented challenges that warrant evidence-based interventions to advance both the care and health of our patients and communities.
The impacts of housing first
Articles
Trajectories of Homeless Shelter Utilization in the At Home/Chez Soi Trial of Housing First
Chu CMT, Moodie EEM, Streiner DL, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2020; 71:648–655
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900260
Articles
Cost-Effectiveness of Housing First With Assertive Community Treatment: Results From the Canadian At Home/Chez Soi Trial
Latimer EA, Rabouin D, Cao Z, Ly A, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2020; 71:1020–1030
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000029
Article
Effects of Housing First on Employment and Income of Homeless Individuals: Results of a Randomized Trial
Poremski D, Stergiopoulos V, Braithwaite E, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:603–609
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500002
Article
Associations of Housing First Configuration and Crime and Social Connectedness Among Persons With Chronic Homelessness Histories
Whittaker E, Flatau PR, Swift W, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:1091–1097
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500446
Articles
Fidelity to the Housing First Model and Variation in Health Service Use Within Permanent Supportive Housing
Gilmer TP, Stefancic A, Henwood BF, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2015; 66:1283–1289
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400564
Brief reports
Willingness of Housing First Participants to Consider Supported-Employment Services
Poremski D, Hwang SW
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:667–670
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500140
Housing first models with assertive community treatment
Article
One-Year Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Housing First With ACT in Five Canadian Cities
Aubry T, Tsemberis S, Adair CE, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2015; 66:463–469
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400167
Impacts of housing on mental health outcomes
Article
Housing Programs for Homeless Individuals With Mental Illness: Effects on Housing and Mental Health Outcomes
Benston EA
Psychiatr Serv 2015; 66:806–816
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400294
Article
Life Changes Among Homeless Persons With Mental Illness: A Longitudinal Study of Housing First and Usual Treatment
Nelson G, Patterson M, Kirst M, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2015; 66:592–597
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400201
Brief reports
Impact of Supported Housing on Social Relationships Among Homeless Veterans
O’Connell MJ, Kasprow WJ, Rosenheck RA
Psychiatr Serv 2017; 68:203–206
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500276
Shared housing approaches
Frontline reports
Opening More Doors to End Homelessness Through a Shared Housing Approach
Brown M
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:1161
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.67100
FACTORS Associated with exiting supportive housing
Article
Factors Associated With Premature Exits From Supported Housing
Gabrielian S, Burns AV, Nanda N, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:86–93
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400311
Meeting the housing, mental health, and social needs of youths experiencing homelessness
Special article
Addressing Intersecting Social and Mental Health Needs Among Transition-Age Homeless Youths: A Review of the Literature
Winiarski DA, Glover AC, Bounds DT, Karnik NS
Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72:317–324
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900498
Articles
The Unique Needs of Homeless Youths With Mental Illness: Baseline Findings From a Housing First Trial
Kozloff N, Stergiopoulos V, Adair CE, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2016; 67:1083–1090
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500461
Articles
Fidelity of a Strengths-Based Intervention Used by Dutch Shelters for Homeless Young Adults
Krabbenborg MAM, Boersma SN, Beijersbergen MD, et al.
Psychiatr Serv 2015; 66:470–476