Paper Presentation

Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Session: A pathway from instability to stability: Prevention and decriminalization of homelessness

Can Flexible Financial Assistance Prevent Homelessness? Findings from a Mixed Methods Study

Presenter(s)

Lara Law, LMSW

Doctoral Candidate and Research Specialist
Arizona State University
KB

Keith Bentele, Ph.D.

Associate Research Professor
University of Arizona, Southwest Institute for Research on Women

People experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity (PEHHI) disproportionately contend with disabilities. Rapid, flexible financial assistance is associated with homelessness prevention. Yet, evidence is limited. We report 1, 3, and 6-month findings from a longitudinal, mixed methods study on the housing security impacts of financial assistance on PEHHI in Pima County, Arizona.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:

articulate the importance of homeless prevention efforts broadly and specifically for people with disabilities in the U.S.
describe the state of homeless prevention evidence in the U.S.
cite the findings from a current study about how effective flexible financial assistance is for homeless prevention, including for people with disabilities.