The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #35212

So-Young Min, MA¹, Yin Ling Irene Wong, PhD¹, and Aileen B. Rothbard, ScD². (1) School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market St., #3105, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (2) Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, #3014, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Prior research has documented difficulty in engaging seriously mentally ill homeless persons who are disaffiliated from the service system. The effort of linking this population to the service system through assertive outreach and case management has shown to be a requisite step for promoting residential stability by enabling persons with serious mental illness to involve continuously in services addressing their multifaceted needs. Given the importance of linkage to services, this study examines the extent to which case management services predict public shelter utilization among homeless persons with serious mental illness.

The target population of this study is participants of the five-year ACCESS (Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports) national demonstration project in Philadelphia from 1993 to 1998. This study utilizes multiple sources of data collected from ACCESS clients, and their case managers. Those survey interview data and service delivery records collected during the ACCESS intervention period are integrated with administration data on public shelter use for 24 months subsequent to the termination of ACCESS in order to track the pattern of entering to and exiting from the public shelters. Mulitivariate analyses are conducted to identify service-related factors that are associated with the probability of shelter use and the duration of shelter-free community living. These factors include the type and intensity of services received, and the therapeutic alliance between ACCESS clients and their case manager. This can lead to a better understanding of the long-term effectiveness of linkage to services on residential outcomes beyond the termination of ACCESS.

Learning Objectives:

• This study examines the relationships between case management services and public shelter use among 800 participants of the ACCESS (Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports) program in Philadelphia. Using administrative records and survey data, the study extends beyond prior research by tracking public shelter use during the post-ACCESS-intervention period.

Keywords: Access to Care, Homeless

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.