Perspectives on housing and recovery - a community-based participatory research project exploring the role of housing in the lives of young adults with mental illness

Young adults with mental illness, also known as “transition age youth” (TAY), struggle with economic, social and housing instability, and are at increased risk for poor health outcomes as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) collaborative made up of mental health service users, family members and academic researchers in Boston identified the need for research examining the role of housing in the lives and recovery of TAY. Young adult service users from the local community were hired and trained as community Research Associates and participated in all aspects of the research process. The group developed a mixed-method design for the research project. First, 29 TAY living in Boston were recruited from multiple types of housing and housing services including: independent living, supported housing, groups homes and homeless. Community Research Associates conducted semi-structured interviews. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed in a group coding and analysis process. In addition, descriptive data on all TAY in Boston using Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Services during the study period were analyzed. Preliminary results of the qualitative study will be presented as well as the results of the quantitative analyses. This presentation will also describe the design and conduct of this unique CBPR study. This study serves as a model for conducting CBPR with young adults, and conducting CBPR with individuals living with mental illnesses. It also demonstrates the unique contribution a CBPR approach makes to mental health services research.