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Editor’s ChoiceFull Access

Homelessness and Mental Health: Part 2. The Impact of Housing Interventions

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.72504

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

https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201300425