Evaluation of the Homeless Assistance Rental Program (HARP) Final ...

[Pages:114]Evaluation of the Homeless Assistance Rental

Program (HARP)

Final Report

December 31, 2007

Evaluation of the Homeless Assistance Rental Program (HARP) Final Report

Russell K. Van Vleet, M.S.W. Audrey O. Hickert, M.A. Erin E. Becker, M.C.J. Richard Fowles, Ph.D. Chelsea Kunz, B.S.W. December 31, 2007

Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah

Table of Contents

Page

Table of Contents.................................................................................................................. i

Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... iii

Executive Summary ..............................................................................................................v

Program Overview..............................................................................................................1

Assumptions of HARP .......................................................................................................2

Brief Literature Review .....................................................................................................9

Supportive Housing .................................................................................................9 Housing First .........................................................................................................10 Case Management .................................................................................................10 Conclusion .............................................................................................................14

Evaluation Overview .......................................................................................................15

Methods .............................................................................................................................15

Data Sources ..........................................................................................................15 Surveys and Data Collection .................................................................................17 Analyses ................................................................................................................18

Results ...............................................................................................................................19

Who does the program serve? Intake and Demographics ......................................................................................19 Homelessness ........................................................................................................20 Criminal Justice System Involvement ...................................................................21 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Involvement ..............................22 Department of Workforce Services Assistance .....................................................23 Living Situation .....................................................................................................24

What is HARP providing clients? Housing Authority Services ..................................................................................25 Case Management Services ...................................................................................25 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services ......................................................27 Utah Department of Corrections ...........................................................................29

Is HARP succeeding? HARP Participation and Exit Status ......................................................................29 Department of Workforce Services Assistance .....................................................32

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Self-Sufficiency and Housing First Matrices ........................................................33 Client Surveys .......................................................................................................36 Criminal Justice System Involvement ...................................................................40

Who has the best outcomes in HARP? Outcome Measures ................................................................................................43 Recidivism .............................................................................................................43 Outcome Status ......................................................................................................46

What program components and services lead to the best outcomes? Outcome Status ......................................................................................................46 Recidivism .............................................................................................................48

What is the cost-benefit of HARP? General Analysis ...................................................................................................48 Criminal Justice Cost-Benefit of HARP ................................................................50

Discussion and Conclusion ...............................................................................................51 Who does the program serve? ...............................................................................51 What is HARP providing clients? .........................................................................52 Is HARP succeeding? ............................................................................................53 Who has the best outcomes in HARP? ..................................................................53 What program components and services lead to the best outcomes? ....................54 What is the cost-benefit of HARP? .......................................................................55 Recommendations and Conclusion .......................................................................55

References .........................................................................................................................57

Appendices ........................................................................................................................64

Appendix A: HARP Guidelines .............................................................................64

Appendix B: Case Manager Responsibilities ........................................................69

Appendix C: Housing Authority Responsibilities .................................................70

Appendix D: Homelessness Literature Review......................................................71

Appendix E: Homelessness Literature Review Table ............................................84

Appendix F: HARP Cover Letter and UCJC Surveys............................................85

Appendix G: Housing Assessment and Eligibility Verification Forms .................93

Appendix H: Self-Sufficiency and Housing First Matrices....................................99

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank Gary K. Dalton, Division Director of Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services, and Kerry D. Steadman, Homeless Services Coordinator for the Salt Lake County Community Resources and Development Division, for their ongoing support and for allowing us the opportunity to provide this evaluation. We would also like to thank all the case managers at the various partnering agencies; Housing Authority staff including Sherrie Rico, Lu Johnson, and Traci Butts; and AmeriCorp volunteers, Mike Weathers and Nova Tall, for their assistance with collecting information throughout the project. We acknowledge the following agencies and individuals for providing valuable data, without which this evaluation could not have been conducted: Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, especially Floyd Hair; Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services, including John Bassett, Jeannie Edens, Maria Grant, and Patty Fox; Salt Lake County Substance Abuse Services, especially Patrick Fleming and Cory Westergard; Valley Mental Health, especially Catherine Carter and Dave Justice; The Road Home Shelter; Department of Workforce Services, especially Karla Aguirre, Rod Barlow, and Amber Johnson; Salt Lake County Adult Detention Center, especially Keith Thomas; Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, especially Laurie Gustin; and the Utah Department of Corrections, including Brent Tomlin and Cliff Butter. Lastly, we would like to extend our appreciation to University of Utah research assistants Elizabeth Andersen and Cynthia Brownell for their valuable contributions.

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