Research – Page 2

Housing First eliminates homelessness and reduces psychiatric hospitalizations

Posted on April 6, 2016September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

Researchers from Depaul University and King County examined the effects of a DESC single-site Housing First program for people with serious psychiatric problems. Some tenants came from long-term street homelessness while others had less street homelessness due to lengthy psychiatric hospitalizaitons. Tenants showed high housing retention (90%) and a significant (44%) reductions in days hospitalized, in stark contrast to a comparison group who received “usual care” in the community.

Housing First as an effective model for community stabilization among vulnerable individuals with chronic and non-chronic homelessness histories – Journal of Community Psychology (Volume 44 | Issue 3, April, 2016)

Single-site Housing First case study

Posted on May 7, 2015September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

This article in Housing, Care and Support describes the key features and evidence base of the “single-site” Housing First model in use at DESC, using our 1811 Eastlake program as a case study. See:

Single-site housing first for chronically homeless people – Housing, Care and Support (Volume 18 | Issue 2, 2015)

DESC’s Vulnerability Assessment Tool found to have strong properties of reliability and validity.

Posted on March 15, 2015October 12, 2017 by Megan Mayes

The Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training conducted a psychometric analysis of DESC’s Vulnerability Assessment Tool, concluding the tool has strong temporal and inter-rater reliability, as well as strong evidence of convergent and concurrent validity. Read the report .

Housing First reduces use of Emergency Medical Services

Posted on October 6, 2014September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

The peer-reviewed journal Prehospital Emergency Care includes a paper examining the use of EMS services by DESC supportive housing tenants before and after being housed. In the study University of Washington researchers found an average reduction of 54% in the number of contacts with EMS in the two years after obtaining housing. See:

Housing First is Associated with Reduced Use of Emergency Medical Services – Prehospital Emergency Care (Volume 18 | No.4, October-December 2014)

Study highlights promising pharmaceutical intervention for alcohol-dependent tenants at DESC

Posted on April 29, 2014July 26, 2017 by Megan Mayes

DESC worked with researchers from the University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center to pilot the addition of a pharmaceutical intervention to assist alcohol-dependent housing tenants with improvements in their alcohol outcomes. A small study documented a strong desire by tenants to try the intervention, and subsequent improvements in alcohol use outcomes for those who participated. The pilot study led to funding for a larger study currently underway. See:

Extended-release Naltrexone and Harm Reduction Counseling for Chronically Homeless People with Alcohol Dependence – Substance Abuse (Published online: April 29, 2014)