Supportive housing for families in child welfare: Client characteristics and their outcomes at discharge

Housing problems present barriers to family unity and reunification among families in the child welfare system, yet few programs address both child welfare and housing needs. To date, the field lacks data for understanding families with dual vulnerabilities in these arenas and the programs that support them. This study aimed to address that gap by reporting the characteristics and outcomes of 1720 families referred to a Supportive Housing for Families (SHF) program over a 10-year period. This report describes client characteristics, progress, and outcomes at discharge. Positive shifts in employment and housing were evident across the entire sample. Clients who completed the program successfully had longer stays, were more likely to have a history of permanent housing and employment, and had higher initial and exit scores on a measure of environment of care. Higher client-staff involvement and service utilization were associated significantly with positive discharge, but not with procurement of permanent housing. This report provides initial endorsement for the SHF model and makes suggestions for program practice, future research, and policy. More research is critical if we are to understand the optimal mechanisms of support and change that lead to child safety and family self-sufficiency.