Supported Housing

Abstract

Supported housing, providing both financial housing subsidies and case management support, is widely recognized as the most effective approach to ending homelessness for individuals with psychiatric and/or addictive disorders. The joint US Department of Housing and Urban Development–Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program is the largest and perhaps longest running supportive housing initiative for any group of homeless persons, worldwide. Since its inception in 1992, HUD-VASH has assisted more than 146,000 Veterans, most of whom have successfully exited from homelessness, and currently serves more than 80,000 Veterans nationwide each year. Guided by principles such as rapid placement into housing, no prerequisites for abstinence for entering housing, and minimal requirements for engagement in clinical care, HUD-VASH stands apart from traditional homeless service programs. Research over the past 25 years, including the first and one of few experimental cost-effectiveness studies of supportive housing, and an extensive series of longitudinal studies have documented the benefits of this program in reducing homelessness as well in leading to greater social connectedness, higher quality of life, and reduced alcohol and drug use. In recent years, HUD-VASH researchers have been exploring ways to modify, augment, or adapt the program to better meet the needs of Veterans through the use of peers, telehealth, and group support. Official VA documents suggest that HUD-VASH has played a major role in the nationwide reduction in the number of homeless Veterans in recent years.