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Housing and the Role of Hospitals

An Effective Practice

Description

The University of Illinois Health and the Center for Housing and Health started a program that provided stable housing and supportive services to chronically homeless individuals. Individuals for the study were referred to the program from health care providers. Once approved by a panel of physicians, social workers, and other experts, an outreach worker from an outside agency would find the patient, build trust, and connect them with services. Participants, with the assistance from their caseworker, first moved into transitional housing followed by long-term independent housing.

Goal / Mission

The goal was to create a housing program as one way to respond to chronic homelessness and associated health concerns.

Results / Accomplishments

Early results suggest a 42% drop in program participants’ health care costs, a 35% reduction in ED visits, and an increase in patients accessing clinics for routine care.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System
Primary Contact
Stephen B. Brown
Director of Preventive Emergency
Medicine, University of Illinois Health
(312) 996-4859
sbbrown9@uic.edu
Topics
Economy / Housing & Homes
Health
Organization(s)
University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System
Source
American Hospital Association
Date of implementation
2015
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Chicago, IL
For more details
https://www.aha.org/ahahret-guides/2017-08-22-soci...
https://www.aha.org/system/files/hpoe/Reports-HPOE...
Target Audience
Adults

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  1. CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Housing: Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Programs
  2. Chicago Housing Health Partnership
  3. Community Aging in Place - Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE)

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Related Content for: Housing and the Role of Hospitals

An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.