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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Homeless Shelters and Programs: Analysis of Benchmarks and Best Practices
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This study analyzed the operating practices at homeless shelters and programs in a number of key areas, including sources of revenues, partnerships, caseworker assistance, intake procedures, food, counseling, health care and mental health, alcohol and drug abuse recovery, educational and life skills training, personal development, employment, computer training, spiritual guidance, housing placement, outreach services post-shelter and success measurement.
The objectives of the study were as follows:
• Evaluate homeless program operating practices.
• Provide meaningful homeless program performance comparisons.
• Survey the practices that homeless programs have implemented to improve their effectiveness.
• Develop benchmarks to measure effectiveness.
(Ward Family Foundation, Inc.)
Report
2002
Alexandria, VA
703-256-9852
Don Schweitzer from Portland
January 17, 2009
11:54 AM
 
Thanks for sharing this report - I've only read the executive summary and it seems like an incredible amount of work as well as important information for the field.

The one question I have about it is the comment "In our view, the only objective measure of long term effectiveness of homeless programs is the success rate of its graduates in the years subsequent to departure from the program" (p17). I'm wondering about the "fairness" of this requirement. It seems that homelessness is such a complex systems issue, how could a homeless program possibly be "responsible" for the success of its program participants for "years"? It would seem that for programs that serve the homeless for longer periods of time (transitional living programs) versus shorter periods (emergency shelter) might show a longer lasting effect, but surely at some point that effect will wear off if the community (i.e. availability of affordable housing, employment, childcare, etc.) does not begin to provide opportunities for the family?

Please don't see question as an attack on your work, I would just like to generate a conversation around this issue.

Thanks


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