Veteran Homelessness:Risk Factors and Effective Services 1 Robert Rosenheck MD Yale Medical School VA New England MIRECC May 21, 2013 1. Based in part on Rosenheck RA. Service Models for Assisting Homeless People with Mental Health Problems: Cost-Effectiveness and Policy Relevance in Ellen IG and O Flaherty B (Eds.) How to House the Homeless. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2010.
Risk factors for Homelessness Among Veterans: Highlights Alcohol and Drug Abuse increase risk 2-5 times stronger risk risk factor than mental illness alone (NCS, NESARCH, Edens et al. 2011) VA service connection is strongest measurable protective factor, reducing homelessness risk by 62% (greater than 50% SC) or 47% (less than 50% SC) OEF/OIF veterans were 65% less likely to have been homeless than other veterans Female veterans 3-4 times greater risk than female non-veterans Edens E, Kasprow W, Tsai, Rosenheck RA (2011). Association of Substance use and VA service-connected disability benefits with risk of homelessness among veterans. The American Journal on Addictions; 20 (5): 412-419.
From Rosenheck RA and Fontana AF (1994) A Model of Homelessness Among Male Veterans of the Vietnam Generation. American Journal of Psychiatry 151:421-427
Percentage of veterans among homeless and domiciled US males in 1996: by age group O.R =2.0 O.R =3.2 O.R 1.4 O.R =.89 O.R =.88 Percen nt vetera ans 60% 40% 34% 49% 47% 46% 38% 60% 63% Homeless Domiciled 20% 15% 14% 8% 0% 20-34 Post VN ('82 - ) 35-44 Post VN ('73- '81) 45-54 (VN) 55-64 (Korea- VN) >64 (WWII + Korea) From NSHAPC, 2000 and CPS, 1996
Current Family Status Among Homeless Veterans (N=43,853) Male Female Married 96% 9.6% 86% 8.6% Children Custody 12.8% 33.3% Living w 8.2% 27.8%
Family Relationships (N=1,493) One close family member 84% Number of close family members 6.66 Family Support Could get a loan of $100 52.7% Could get help with a ride 43.4% Could get emotional support if suicidal 55.7%
Family Relationships(2) (N=1,493) Family of Origin Procreation One close rel. 76.2% 57.2% Number of rels. 4.0 1.5 Support Loan 45.1% 18.7% Ride 35.4% 16.4% Emotional 48.7% 23.5%
Five Intervention Models 1. System Integration. 2. Supported housing. 3. Case management alone. 4. Benefits outreach. 5. Supported Employment. 6. Towards Social Re- integration/recovery: Group Intensive Peer Support (GIPS)
System Integration: The ACCESS Program System fragmentation is the problem 18 site demonstration of efforts to integrate homeless service systems 7,000 homeless people with serious mental illness in 4 annual cohorts followed for 12 months. 9 sites received $150,00 and technical assistance to improve system integration Other 9 sites did not From Rosenheck RA, Lam J, Morrissey JP, Calloway M, Marilyn Stolar, Randolph F, Blasinsky M, Johnsen, M, Steadman H, Cocozza J, Dennis DD, Goldman HH. Do Efforts to Improve Service Systems Integration Enhance Outcomes for Homeless Persons with Serious Mental Illness? Evidence from the ACCESS Program. Psychiatric Services. 2002:53(8):958-966.
ACCESS Outcomes By Systems Integration Site Assignment and by Annual Cohort: Exited From Homelessness for 30 Days 50 omeless s Percen nt Not H 40 30 20 10 0 BL 3 Months 12 Months Cohort Int 1 Int 2 Int 3 Int 4 Cont 1 Cont 2 Cont 3 Cont 4
OUTCOMES BY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION ASSIGNMENT AND BY COHORT:PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS* Psychiatr ric Symp ptom Ind dex* 2 1 0 BL 3 Months 12 Months Cohort Int 1 Int 2 Int 3 Int 4 Cont 1 Cont 2 Cont 3 Cont 4
Supported Housing: HUD-VA Supported Housing Combines case management and Section 8 vouchers Experimental study of three groups: HUD-VASH Case management only Standard VA care Rosenheck RA, Kasprow W, Frisman LK, Liu-Mares W. Cost-effectiveness of Supported Housing for Homeless Persons with Mental Illness. Archives of General Psychiatry 2003;60: 940-951.
Days housed in past 90: HUD VASH Experimental Evaluation 90 65% days housed Nigh hts in pa ast 90 60 30 57% days housed 53% days housed HUD-VASH exp. : N=182 Case mgt. N=90 Std. care: N=188 0 Baseline 6 mos.*# 1 year *# 18 mos. *# 2 years*# 3 years Key: *Group 1>2, p<.05 #Group 1>3, p<.05
45 Outcomes in the HUD-VA Supported Housing Program: Nights Homeless in Past 90 Nigh hts in pa ast 90 30 15 Both 22% days homeless HUD-VASH exp. : N=182 Case mgt. N=90 Std. care: N=188 0 14% days homeless Baseline 6 mos. *# 1 year *# 18 mos. *# 2 years # 3 years Key: *Group 1<2, p<.05 #Group 1<3, p<.05
Other HUD-VASH Benefits Superior therapeutic alliance More social support Reduced alcohol and drug use
10 Outcomes in the HUD-VA Supported Housing Program: Days of Alcohol Use in past 30 days Days of aloc cohol use 7.5 5 VASH exp. : N=182 Case mgt. N=88 Std. care: N=187 2.5 0 Baseline 6 mos. 1 year 18 mos. 2 years 3 years
$40,000 Three-year VA health care costs by treatment group. $36,524 $35,095 $30,000 $28,515 VA Costs $20,000 $19,257 $22,315 $18,628 $17,267 1. Experimental VASH (N=182) 2. CM controls (N=90) 3. Standard care (N=188) $12,779 $9,886 $10,000 $0 Total VA VAIP VA OP
100% Outcomes in the CICH Supported Housing Program: Percent Nights Housed in Past 90 Percent Nights Hou used in past 90 75% 50% 25% CICH Controls 0% Baseline 3 mos 6 mos 9 mos 12 mos Mares AS, Rosenheck RA. A Comparison of Treatment Outcomes among Chronically Homelessness Adults Receiving Comprehensive Housing and Health Care Services Versus Usual Local Care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 2011; 38 (6):459-475
Benefits Outreach VA-VBA initiatives: 70% pensions Joint VA-SSA Benefits Outreach Linked SSA disability specialists and VA case managers and medical evaluators Compared Joint outreach sites and other VA homeless programs using VA and SSA administrative data over a 4 year period before and after program implementation. Program Cost $1,700-$3,200/ additional awardee
SSA-VA Joint Outreach: Rates of Application for Benefits (N=34,431) Pe ercent Applied 25 20 15 10 5 8 7 Intervention 10 8 7 7 10 9 14 10 18 12 19 11 23 12 0 Year - 4 Year - 3 Year - 2 Year - 1 Year + 1 Year + 2 Year + 3 Year + 4 Cohort Joint Outreach Sites Comparison Sites
SSA-VA Joint Outreach: Rates of Award Among Applicants (N=3,952) Percen nt Receiv ved Ben efits 80 60 40 20 0 58 55 Year - 4 69 61 Year - 3 71 61 Intervention Year - 2 75 67 68 68 55 Year - 1 Year + 1 60 Year + 2 Year Before/After Program Initiation Year + 3 65 57 58 59 Year + 4 Joint Outreach Sites Comparison Sites
SSA-VA Joint Outreach: Rates of Award Among All Outreach Veterans (N=34,431) ived Ben nefits Perce ent Rece 15 10 5 0 Year - 4 Intervention 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 Year - 3 Year - 2 Year - 1 10 7 Year + 1 11 11 8 Year + 2 Year Before/After Program Initiation Year + 3 13 7 7 Year + 4 Joint Outreach Sites Comparison Sites
SSA-VA Outreach: Client Outcomes (Subsample) (1) Conducted baseline assessment just before benefits decision (N=173). Of those interviewed and followed-up 29 % (n=50) received benefits, 71% (n=123) did not. Compared 3-month outcomes among recipients and non-recipients. i Total monthly income $735 vs. $458 (p<.001) No difference in psychiatric, substance abuse, or medical status at baseline OR follow-up.
SSA-VA Outreach: Client Outcomes (2) Benefits No benefits Days homeless 9.4 17.0 ns Quality of Life 30 3.0 2.7** Wants to work 2.9 3.2 ** Days worked 2.3 5.8 * * p<.05 ** p<.01 ***p<.001
Supported Employment Employment specialists work directly with clients to identify, obtain and retain employment. Pre-post intervention cohort design at 9 VA sites Phase 1: before intervention (N=308) Phase 2: after intervention (N=322) Employment Specialist Cost=$2,063/ client Less productivity of $1,299 = $764/client/year /y Rosenheck RA and Mares AS. Implementation of Supported Employment for Homeless Veterans with Psychiatric or Addiction Disorders: Two-Year Outcomes. Psychiatric Services 2007; 58: 315-324.
Days Competitive Employment in Supported Employment (Least Square Means) 12 10 8 Supported Employtment 6 Control 4 2 0 bl 3-6- 9-12- 15-18- 21-24- mo mo mo mo mo mo mo mo
Days Housed in past 90 (Independent) (Least Square Means) 38% independently 45 housed 40 35 30 Supported 33% independently 25 Employment housed 20 Control 15 10 5 0 bl 3- mo 6- mo 9- mo 12- mo 15- mo 18- mo 21- mo 24- mo
Conclusions from Research h( (1) Diverse intervention models are effective in reducing homelessness among people with mental illness. Effect sizes are typically y modest in magnitude and primarily center in one outcome domain (i.e. housing, symptoms, income, or employment). Li it d S i l Limited Social reintegration/recovery
Conclusions from Research h( (2) Program costs can be substantial ($2,000-$9,000/client/year) and are entirely offset by savings only when high-cost, high-risk populations are targeted, or when the duration of treatment is limited. i.e. there is a costeffectiveness generalizability tradeoff Progress is incremental: Cost-effective, generalizable ways to end homelessness among people with mental health problems have yet to emerge.