Factors Associated With Veterans' Access to Permanent Supportive Housing.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify individual- and program-level characteristics associated with veterans' ability to move into permanent housing following receipt of a housing voucher and to identify factors associated with more rapid placement into housing. This study used secondary quantitative and primary quantitative and qualitative data collected from veterans participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program at four locations between 2008 and 2014 (N=9,967). Interviewers conducted in-person surveys with a subsample of the cohort (N=508). The study assessed two outcomes: whether a veteran accessed permanent supportive housing and the number of days required for veterans to move in. A logistic regression analysis identified predictors of becoming housed and a multiple regression model determined factors that influenced the time required for veterans to move into housing after admission to the program. Most (85%) veterans who received a permanent housing subsidy identified and moved into permanent housing. Receipt of outpatient behavioral health care in the 90 days before program admission and use of outpatient medical, behavioral health, or substance use care in the 90 days after increased the odds of becoming housed. Program-level policies may contribute to enhanced access to housing among veterans seeking permanent supportive housing, specifically a holistic approach to the frequent provision of supportive services-including both health care and case management-immediately after program admission.