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Bringing Hope to Those Forgotten: Is the Provision of Transitional and Supportive Housing Effective in Reducing Homelessness? A Quantitative Analysis of WillBridge of Santa Barbara, Inc.

Cervantes, Melissa
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1371502328

Abstract Details

2013, Psy. D., Antioch University, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology.
This quantitative study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of homeless housing programs in increasing the income, life skills, and residency of clients. Data were gathered for 43 clients of WillBridge of Santa Barbara, Inc., provider of both transitional and supportive housing to homeless, mentally ill clients; 17 study participants were current clients, 26 had exited the program. Data collected included client participation in each of several program activities, as well as data on employment, income, and residency factors. The goals of the study were to determine not only the overall effectiveness of the program, but also the impact of specific program activities on meeting each program goal. Results from the study support the effectiveness of the program in meeting goals: both income and life skills were significantly improved amongst clients, and several clients obtained residency, as defined by this study. The prediction that specific program activities would be significantly related to client change was supported: Attainment of employment was significantly related to the completion of job applications, attainment of a bank account, participation in interview training, and resume writing; increase in income was significantly related to interview training and having employment; having contact with a family member was significantly related to obtainment of housing upon exit from the program. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the effectiveness of homeless housing programming; transitional and supportive housing programs providing services to homeless, mentally ill clients can utilize the results to provide areas for specific focus when working with clients toward goals of attaining employment, and increasing income, life skills, and residency. It is reasoned that the inclusion of program activities shown to be effective in this study will prove similar effectiveness in each of these areas in other programs. Additional program evaluation research, utilizing a larger sample taken from several transitional and supportive programs, is suggested to further knowledge of the effectiveness of specific program components on positively impacting homeless individuals. The electronic version of this dissertation is available free at Ohiolink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd.
Sharleen Dolan O'Brien, Psy.D. (Committee Chair)
Juliet Rohde-Brown, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Sade Carswell, M.A. (Committee Member)
Beverly Schydlowsky, Ph.D. (Other)
157 p.
Psychology; Public Policy; Social Psychology; Social Research
homeless; homelessness housing; chronic homelessness; housing; transitional housing; transitional; supportive housing; homeless housing; homeless program; housing program; practice based participatory research; program evaluation; program effectiveness

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cervantes, M. (2013). Bringing Hope to Those Forgotten: Is the Provision of Transitional and Supportive Housing Effective in Reducing Homelessness? A Quantitative Analysis of WillBridge of Santa Barbara, Inc. [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1371502328

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cervantes, Melissa. Bringing Hope to Those Forgotten: Is the Provision of Transitional and Supportive Housing Effective in Reducing Homelessness? A Quantitative Analysis of WillBridge of Santa Barbara, Inc. 2013. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1371502328.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cervantes, Melissa. "Bringing Hope to Those Forgotten: Is the Provision of Transitional and Supportive Housing Effective in Reducing Homelessness? A Quantitative Analysis of WillBridge of Santa Barbara, Inc." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1371502328

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1371502328
681
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.