2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

324023
Examining Support Service Disparities in Permanent Supportive Housing


Monday, November 2, 2015

Taylor Harris, MA, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Benjamin Henwood, PhD, LCSW, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Hailey Winetrobe, MPH, CHES, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Eric Rice, PhD, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Harmony Rhoades, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Suzanne Wenzel, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Intro:Permanent supportive housing (PSH) has been identified as the empirical solution to solving homelessness. Los Angeles County (LAC) currently has large-scale efforts to combat the nation’s largest homeless population through PSH campaigns to end veteran homelessness in 2015 and chronic homelessness in 2016. PSH success is dependent on increasing housing availability while providing adequate support to residents to maintain housing stability.

Method:This qualitative study, consisting of focus groups and individual semi-structured qualitative interviews of 34 PSH providers throughout LAC, examines variation of support services and common challenges that providers face across housing programs.

Results:Providers indicate that once in housing, “that’s when the real work starts for the clients.” While providers report that being housed has implications for increased service needs, results suggest there are disparities in accessing supportive services. These disparities are related to location, accessibility, and providers’ case management approach to intervention which ranges from passive case management to assertive community treatment through a multidisciplinary team. In addition to formal supports, “non-support” staff also play a key role in supporting PSH residents. Lack of training, limited coordination between housing providers and health services, and on-site versus off-site services were identified as barriers affecting the goal of ending homelessness.

Conclusion: These findings indicate a need for program and system responses, such as increased training of staff, increasing accessible evidence-based programs, and bridging service gaps which aim at “getting to zero” (i.e. ending homelessness) for these vulnerable populations.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Program planning
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe variations in supportive services in community provided permanent supportive housing in Los Angeles. Identify barriers to accessing services for formerly homeless individuals living in permanent supportive housing.

Keyword(s): Underserved Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am doctoral student in the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California. I have worked win homelessness and housing research in Los Angeles for over three years. I currently work with the NIDA funded Transitions to Housing Study conducted through USC which examines HIV risk factors, behavioral health, and health outcomes for formerly homeless residents initial year living in permanent supportive housing.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3197.0: Using Research, Practice and Policy to Improve the Health of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness 2