Record Details
Rethinking Change: Measuring Quality of Life Outcomes in Housing First Residents in Portland, Oregon
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Rethinking Change: Measuring Quality of Life Outcomes in Housing First Residents in Portland, Oregon |
| Names |
Campbell, Shannon M.
(creator) Edwards, Mark (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 2014-05-09 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 2014 |
| Abstract | The undisputed cost-effectiveness of the anti-homelessness program “Housing First” is well established in the empirical literature, but fewer studies have considered the impact of the program on individual residents. This mixed-methods study examines the lives of a cohort of residents in a Portland-based Housing First project, seeking to determine whether Housing First interventions create positive life changes in formerly homeless residents. The project includes an examination of the assessment records of all current residents, as well as a more in-depth analysis of the life narratives of a selected sub-sample. Quantitative analysis is used to determine long-term changes in the core areas of substance abuse and mental health, while qualitative analysis gives special attention to the individual experiences of residents and quality of life changes in their daily existence. This paper speaks not only to a changing definition of what constitutes success— formerly, total abstinence by the prevailing treatment models; now, a more holistic approach—but also to how we formally assess life change and the merits of a mixed-methods approach, as well as the implications for future homelessness policy and programs. |
| Genre | Research Paper |
| Topic | Housing First Policy |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/48453 |
