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Field
Abstract
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Before
This research project will evaluate the effectiveness of two different approaches to homelessness prevention. We will use a lottery to
measure the effectiveness of (1) a combined program of progressive case management and flexible funds relative to (2) immediate
financial assistance. This project will be conducted in the context of the Youth and Family Homelessness Prevention Initiative (YFHPI)
in King County, Washington, where lawmakers are interested in assessing the effectiveness of the program's case management
component. The results of this study will also be informative to policymakers and service providers in other communities that are
interested in the most effective means of homelessness prevention.
This lead investigators on this project are from the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame. They are collaborating with the King County Department of Community and Human Services and the Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at MIT.
About LEO:
The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is a research center in the Department of Economics at the University of Notre Dame that conducts rigorous impact evaluations to identify innovative, effective and scalable anti-poverty programs. LEO’s research is directed by faculty from the University of Notre Dame as well as scholars from across the country with expertise in designing and evaluating the impact of domestic anti-poverty programs. Our research initiatives span a wide range of poverty focus areas.
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After
Through a randomized controlled trial, we test whether providing personalized case management alongside emergency financial assistance more effectively prevents homelessness than financial assistance alone. For a sample of young adults and families with children who are at risk of homelessness, our results indicate that participants assigned to case management and financial assistance are more likely to access other homeless programs and no less likely to be evicted. Downstream outcomes are mostly unchanged, though arrests increase. Using non-experimental variation across staff, we find that case management is associated with better outcomes when it is more intensive and pays financial assistance quickly.
About LEO:
The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is a research center in the Department of Economics at the University of Notre Dame that conducts rigorous impact evaluations to identify innovative, effective and scalable anti-poverty programs. LEO’s research is directed by faculty from the University of Notre Dame as well as scholars from across the country with expertise in designing and evaluating the impact of domestic anti-poverty programs. Our research initiatives span a wide range of poverty focus areas.
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