Articles for the Topic "Families"

A Snapshot of Family Homelessness Across America

2007-08-06T01:31:50

The authors discuss the nature of family homelessness in America, focusing on the issues around policy and the general view of the problem in the public's eye.

Adding Seats To the Table: A Community-Based Approach To Family Homelessness

2008-07-11T04:54:54

Adding Seats to the Table: A Community-Based Approach to Family Homelessness was created to support grassroots community organizing and coalition building among homeless, formerly homeless, and at-risk families in three capitol city communities. The Fund sought to break with traditional service provision strategies by directly supporting community organizing and self-advocacy efforts among homeless, formerly homeless, and at-risk families. Although the three local groups were each distinct, their community organizing efforts displayed similar approaches, strategies, and outcomes. Common to all was the use of blended community organizing strategy that took the best aspects of different organizing models and tailored them to the uniqueness of each community. The groups learned to work in coalition and partner with other groups despite differing political perspectives. Collectively, their outreach strategies were successful not only in attracting homeless families to their organizations, but in maintaining on-going involvement. (Authors)

Ending Family Homelessness in Rural America

2009-01-21T04:15:45

Workshop speakers discussed the unique set of challenges faced by rural communities and the specific response to the problem of family homelessness. These presentations to the National Alliance to End Homelessness examine promising models, effective strategies, and how rural communities can use existing service systems to respond to the issue of family homelessness.

Evaluation of a Mental Health Outreach Service for Homeless Families

2007-10-08T08:18:38

This resource prvdes information about a study conducted to determine the satisfaction and effectiveness of mental health outreach to homeless families.

Examining the Impact of Parental Risk on Family Functioning Among Homeless and Housed Families - FREE Access

2009-10-21T09:11:37

FREE Access to Full Text: This article was featured in the "Special Section on Parenting and Homelessness", guest edited by the Homelessness Resource Center and published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Research showed that when compared to families that are housed, homeless families fare worse on measures of financial stability, housing conditions, and interactions with children when parents have a history of mental illness or substance use.

Family Dynamics, Housing and Recurring Homelessness Among Women in New York City Homeless Shelters

2008-08-22T01:26:46

This study looks at two sets of women who stayed in New York City homeless shelters in 1992—one set as part of a family and the other set as individuals—and at factors associated with an increased risk of their experiencing repeat shelter stays. Descriptive statistics and event history analysis indicate that regardless of whether the women stay in shelters with their families or by themselves, various family dynamics are associated with particular vulnerability to subsequent shelter stays, especially when the women are part of "young" families, are in households with absent children, or disclose a history of domestic violence. Exits from a shelter stay to one's own housing, on the other hand, has the strongest association with avoiding repeat shelter stays. These results suggest that family dynamics and the availability of affordable housing are two important focuses for efforts to reduce the incidence of homelessness among women. (Authors)

Family Homelessness in Our Nation and Community: A Problem with a Solution

2007-03-27T10:52:41

This report discusses the state of family homelessness in the US. It looks at the root causes and develops a detailed understanding of the experience of family homelessness. With this information the report concludes with recommendations for ending family homelessness in the US.

Family Homelessness: Background, Research Findings, and Policy Options

2007-07-09T04:59:17

This paper discusses the background and policy issues related to family homelessness past and present, discusses research findings, and concludes with options for remedying family homelessness in the future. Homelessness affects many families; families now comprise a major segment of the homeless population. Convergent sources suggest that 420,000 families are homeless annually in the United States. This includes approximately 924,000 children. (Authors)

Housing First: Ending and Preventing Family Homelessness

2007-07-24T01:12:05

Homelessness is one of our nation's most serious social problems. While it is often the result of interwoven systemic and personal problems, the primary cause of homelessness among families is the growing gap between housing costs and income. The emergency shelter system is able to accommodate only a small fraction of the growing number of homeless families in need. Families are forced to live in their cars, in garages, in other places unfit for human habitation or to move from place to place with their children, staying intermittently with friends and families. Even a short period of homelessness can lead to depression, mental illness and child neglect, yet increasing numbers of families are homeless for months and sometimes years. Emergency shelters are unable to provide the intensive long-term assistance which homeless families require in order to stabilize their lives. (Beyond Shelter, Inc)

Integrating Behavioral Health Services for Homeless Mothers and Children in Primary Care

2007-08-15T02:45:57

This article describes an innovative trauma-informed care management model in which mental health, substance abuse, and support services are integrated for homeless families in primary care. The rationale for service integration in a health care setting is discussed and the conceptual underpinnings of the model are elaborated, drawing from the literature and clinical experience. Service encounter data collected by each staff member over a 1-year period (N 7,214 encounters) allow for description of program functions and provider roles and activities, an essential step in developing the fidelity indicators necessary for future program replication and rigorous testing in additional settings. The feasibility of implementing an integrated set of services for homeless families in primary care is demonstrated. Practice, training, and research implications are discussed. (Authors)

Inventory of Federal Programs That May Assist Homeless Families with Children

2008-03-11T11:00:44

This inventory of federal programs that have the capacity to serve homeless families with children has been developed by the member agencies of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The inventory consists of both targeted homeless programs, which are designed specifically to serve persons experiencing homelessness, as well as mainstream programs, whose mission may be to serve a far broader population, but for which persons experiencing homelessness may be eligible by virtue of the program’s eligibility criteria. All programs included have the capacity to benefit families. The purpose of this inventory is to provide a current picture of all existing federal initiatives, help identify gaps or overlaps in services that may exist across programs, and offer new avenues for program collaboration. (Author)

Keeping Families Together and Safe: a Curriculum for Child Protective Services and Homeless Service Workers

2009-11-02T03:42:14

The Child Welfare League of America developed this curriculum to create a process for Child Protective Services and Homeless Service Providers to communicate and collaborate. Both the Instructors' Manual and the Participants' Manual are available for free download on the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare’s website. It is a tool to help workers from both systems join together to improve the lives of the families and youth with whom they work.

Multiply Homeless Families: The Insidious Impact of Violence

2007-11-13T11:16:11

This article looks at the variables that affected repeated instances of family homelessness in contrast to families that experience only a singular event of homelessness.

National Alliance to End Homelessness Sourcebook on Ending family Homelessness: Problems and Solutions

2008-01-10T02:10:56

This sourcebook provides resources to assist communities in ending family homelessness.

Serving Homeless Families: Descriptions, Effective Practices, and Lessons Learned

2007-12-14T01:10:29

This report provides information about the Head Start demonstration project, which aimed at providing services to homeless families.

Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children - Evaluation Report: Year One (2007-2008)

2009-09-15T09:49:47

This report describes the first year of implementation of the Strengthening At-Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative (“the Initiative”). Funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and under the guidance of a Coordinating Center consisting of the National Center on Family Homelessness and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the Initiative seeks to improve the housing, health, and development of homeless and at-risk young mothers and children. To best meet the complex needs of these families, the Initiative supports locally-based partnerships that include housing/homelessness and child development agencies, as well as those that address family preservation, domestic violence, mental health, substance use, and other support services for the target population. (Authors)

Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children -Evaluation Report Year One: Executive Summary

2009-09-15T09:57:53

This Executive Summary provides an overview of the Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Evaluation Report: Year 1. Funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Initiative is under the guidance of a Coordinating Center consisting of The National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH), the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) and ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families (ZTT). (Authors)

The "Housing First" Program for Homeless Families: Methodology Manual

2008-08-13T01:20:10

This methodology manual provides step-by-step guidance to adapting Beyond Shelter's "Housing First" Program, which essentially bypasses completely or limits transitional housing and instead moves homeless families directly to permanent housing with supportive services provided after the move. The manual is targeted to program developers, directors and front-line staff working with homeless families. (Beyond Shelter, Inc.)