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THRIVE FROM THE START

Every infant and toddler deserves a safe, stable, and nurturing start in life. That’s why Housing Is has joined forces with  Prevent Child Abuse America, SchoolHouse Connection, and ZERO TO THREE to launch Thrive From The Start—a cross-sector effort dedicated to addressing homelessness among infants, toddlers, and expectant parents. Visit thrivefromthestart.org to learn more and explore how you can be a part of the solution. 

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Housing Is Working Group 2024-2025 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as child welfare and housing, leveraging Medicaid resources for housing services, out-of-school time, and digital connectivity in a post-ACP world. 

View Calendar
 
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Report
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
This issue brief outlines ways in which Medicaid can support integrated strategies and, based on telephone interviews with key informants, profiles three current initiatives that illustrate distinctly different approaches to linking Medicaid and supportive housing. The three initiatives include one launched by a city (Philadelphia), one by a state (Louisiana), and one by a Medicaid MCO (Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care in Phoenix, Arizona). They target special populations including homeless individuals, people with a wide range of disabilities, and adults with mental health and/or substance use problems.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
This report examines several ways in which health care changes created by the ACA, and other health care reform initiatives, create the potential for affordable housing providers to collaborate with health care providers, insurers, and other institutions to support the wellbeing of low-income individuals and families.

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018

Affordable Housing's Place in Health Care: Opportunities Created by the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Reform

Policy Brief
Jul 20, 2018
This report examines several ways in which health care changes created by the ACA, and other health care reform initiatives, create the potential for affordable housing providers to collaborate with health care providers, insurers, and other institutions to support the wellbeing of low-income indiv
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Case study
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
Acknowledging the link between housing instability and expensive health care utilization, Hennepin Health began to include housing interventions in its approach to care coordination and service integration. Through care coordination efforts, this health reform initiative strives to improve quality of care and patient experience while lowering overall costs. Interventions to address housing instability include the Hennepin Health Social Services Navigation Team and Hennepin Health’s partnerships with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and the Hennepin County’s Heading Home Hennepin initiative.

Authored by:
Topics: Health, Homelessness, Housing, Partnerships, Pre-natal, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018
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Report
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
In December 2016, federal and state policymakers examined health and housing issues at a meeting convened in Washington, D.C., by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) with support from The Commonwealth Fund. The goal of the meeting was to identify concrete policy recommendations and actionable steps to align health and housing programs to ensure that people with high service needs receive the housing and supportive services they need to become and stay healthy. This report summarizes their findings and recommendations

Authored by:
Topics: Data sharing, Disabilities, Health, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 17, 2018
The Denver Social Impact Bond program is an initiative aimed at measurably improving the lives of people most in need by driving resources towards better, more effective programs. Social Impact Bonds are a unique type of performance-based contract where private and/or philanthropic lenders loan funds to accomplish a specific objective and are repaid based on whether the program achieves its goals. Denver’s Social Impact Bond program will use funds from lenders to provide housing and supportive case management services to at least 250 homeless individuals who frequently use the city’s emergency services, including police, jail, the courts and emergency rooms.

Authored by:
Topics: Community development, Cost effectiveness, Criminal justice, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Mental health, Partnerships, Stability, Substance abuse, West Coast
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 17, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Jul 13, 2018
This guide is organized around five steps, each of which includes concrete ways to get started as well as links to additional resources. These five steps will help you build a case for why and how Medicaid can be structured at the state and local levels to pay for services in permanent supportive housing. When building a case you need to know some basics of Medicaid and the types of services you want Medicaid to cover. in order to convince Medicaid administrators and other health care payers to support your efforts, you need to have evidence of need for and impact of supportive housing and you need a coalition of many stakeholders at your side.

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Data sharing, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 13, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Jul 13, 2018
Recognizing the layers to developing a health and housing partnership, this Literature Review and Resource Bank is intended to provide background and data resources that can be used in grant applications or in conversations with potential funders in the effort to foster new health and supportive housing partnerships.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Criminal justice, Data sharing, Dual-eligibles, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Partnerships, Post-secondary, Preventative care, Research, Seniors, Substance abuse, Supportive housing, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 13, 2018

Resources for Building Health Center & Housing Partnerships: Literature Review and Resource Bank

Publication
Jul 13, 2018
Recognizing the layers to developing a health and housing partnership, this Literature Review and Resource Bank is intended to provide background and data resources that can be used in grant applications or in conversations with potential funders in the effort to foster new health and supportive hou
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 13, 2018
Practitioners and community advocates working at the intersection of housing and health have a unique role to play, both in guaranteeing quality affordable housing remains available for people of all incomes, and in making sure new investments in neighborhoods contribute to a healthy environment. To support those efforts, this guide includes the following: An overview of how renewed interest in urban centers is affecting housing affordability; A summary of the research linking rising housing costs to poor health outcomes; A set of key recommendations communities should consider as part of an overall approach to preserving, protecting, and enhancing affordable housing; and A library of local housing policies and strategies that communities can use to ensure the availability of affordable housing options, with a particular focus on rental affordability.

Authored by:
Topics: Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, RAD, Safety
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 13, 2018

Preserving, Protecting, and Expanding Affordable Housing: A Policy Toolkit for Public Health

Policy Brief
Jul 13, 2018
Practitioners and community advocates working at the intersection of housing and health have a unique role to play, both in guaranteeing quality affordable housing remains available for people of all incomes, and in making sure new investments in neighborhoods contribute to a healthy environment.
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Publication
Community:
Jul 12, 2018
This brief aims to bring attention to non-Medicaid funding sources that states could potentially blend or braid to address social determinants of health and other needs that are not typically covered by Medicaid. It is intended to familiarize state Medicaid, public health, and other state policymakers with the funding streams of other agencies, and sketch out a continuum of options to help states coordinate funding to better serve the needs of low-income populations. Because this brief focuses on services for adult Medicaid beneficiaries, it does not address many of the funding sources available for children’s services. However, existing efforts to pool funds for children and youth—notably by the Commonwealth of Virginia—could prove instructive for states seeking to launch such an effort for adults.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Data sharing, Dual-eligibles, Food insecurity, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Partnerships, Research, Substance abuse
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 12, 2018

Braiding & Blending Funding Streams to Meet the Health-Related Social Needs of Low-Income Persons: Considerations for State Health Policymakers

Publication
Jul 12, 2018
This brief aims to bring attention to non-Medicaid funding sources that states could potentially blend or braid to address social determinants of health and other needs that are not typically covered by Medicaid.
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Publication
Community:
Jul 12, 2018
With the new administration and Congress, policymakers have an opportunity to forge an enduring bipartisan consensus on affordable rental housing. There is more agreement between the two political parties than one might think: Strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, expanding the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program, continuing efforts to reduce homelessness, infusing real choice into the housing voucher program by enabling greater mobility, expanding self-sufficiency and asset-building incentives, and reducing regulatory barriers to increase affordable housing production—all have bipartisan buy-in. The question is whether lawmakers can find the political will to devote to the effort and the resources to make significant progress. This brief lays out the possible parameters of such a consensus plan.

Authored by:
Topics: Dual-generation, Funding, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mobility, RAD, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 12, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Jul 12, 2018
This report examines four specific aspects of the challenge before us: • The need for a much greater supply of homes affordable to our nation’s lowest-income seniors. • The importance of transforming homes and communities so that seniors can age with options, a desire shared by the overwhelming majority of older adults. • The imperative to better integrate health care and supportive services with housing, recognizing that this integration has the potential to improve health outcomes for seniors and reduce the costs borne by the health care system. • The need to deploy technologies on a far wider scale to help all Americans age successfully.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Funding, Health, Home visiting, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Place-based, Preventative care, Seniors, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 12, 2018

Healthy Aging Begins at Home

Publication
Jul 12, 2018
This report examines four specific aspects of the challenge before us: • The need for a much greater supply of homes affordable to our nation’s lowest-income seniors. • The importance of transforming homes and communities so that seniors can age with options, a desire shared by the overwhelming ma
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Report
Community:
Jul 12, 2018
On June 7, 2016 CSH invited a diverse group of national experts from the housing, homeless prevention, Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, mental health, criminal justice and recovery fields for a special meeting on the topic of addiction recovery and housing. The primary goal of the convening was to engage participants in a thoughtful discussion around how CSH can work with our national and local partners to promote recovery in supportive housing and ensure that supportive housing is part of the continuum of recovery supports available for people living with addiction.

Authored by:
Topics: Criminal justice, Dual-eligibles, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Mental health, Partnerships, Substance abuse, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 12, 2018
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Case study
Community:
Jul 12, 2018
In Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Housing Authority, Boston Public Health Commission, the city’s Inspectional Services Department, the Boston Foundation, and local universities and medical institutions have come together over the last decade-plus to address the intersection of health and housing. Motivated by a desire to improve the lives of Boston’s most vulnerable residents, these organizations began collaborating to address asthma and, more recently, to prioritize housing and health needs for pregnant women. By bridging anchor institutions, foundations, and city agencies around health and housing initiatives citywide, Boston has made strides toward providing healthier housing options and integrated health management and referral systems. This case study highlights how a variety of key stakeholders within one city can collaborate to address the health and housing needs of its vulnerable residents.

Authored by:
Topics: Asthma, Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, East Coast, Exercise, Family engagement, Funding, Health, Home visiting, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Nutrition, Obesity, Partnerships, Pre-natal, Preventative care, Research, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 12, 2018

A City Takes Action: Emerging Strategies for Integrating Health and Housing

Case study
Jul 12, 2018
In Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Housing Authority, Boston Public Health Commission, the city’s Inspectional Services Department, the Boston Foundation, and local universities and medical institutions have come together over the last decade-plus to address the intersection of health and housing.
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Research
Community:
Jul 11, 2018
A Research Review and Comment on Future Directions for Integrating Housing and Health Services

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Cost effectiveness, Data sharing, Exercise, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Metrics, Nutrition, Obesity, Partnerships, Preventative care, Research, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 11, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 10, 2018
This brief explores how state Medicaid agencies have utilized a variety of federal authorities and delivery systems to increase access to supportive housing services and highlights important implementation considerations.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Criminal justice, Data sharing, Funding, Health, Healthy homes, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Partnerships, Substance abuse, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 10, 2018

Strategies to Strengthen Health and Housing Partnerships Through Medicaid to Improve Health Care for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Policy Brief
Jul 10, 2018
This brief explores how state Medicaid agencies have utilized a variety of federal authorities and delivery systems to increase access to supportive housing services and highlights important implementation considerations.
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Report
Community:
Jul 10, 2018
In December 2016, federal and state policymakers examined the intersection of unstable housing and negative health outcomes at a meeting convened in Washington, D.C., by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) with support from The Commonwealth Fund. The goal of the meeting was to identify concrete policy recommendations and actionable steps to align health and housing programs to ensure that people with high service needs receive the housing and supportive services they need to become and stay healthy. This report summarizes their findings and recommendations.

Authored by:
Topics: Child welfare, Cost effectiveness, Data sharing, Disabilities, Dual-generation, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Seniors, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 10, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Jul 10, 2018
Working Together to Meet Unmet Housing and Healthcare Needs

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Data sharing, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Partnerships, Stability, Substance abuse, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 10, 2018
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News Article
Community:
Aug 1, 2016
Boulder County, Colo., pioneered the movement. What can others learn from their experience?

Authored by: Mattie Quinn for Governing the State and Localities
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Data sharing, Dual-eligibles, Food insecurity, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Place-based, Supportive housing, West Coast
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 5, 2018
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Report
Community:
Dec 6, 2017
It adds to the growing body of evidence that addressing homelessness saves money elsewhere.

Authored by: J.B. Wogan for Governing the States and Localities
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Criminal justice, Health, Healthy homes, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Place-based, Preventative care, Research, Stability, West Coast
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 5, 2018
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Webinar
Community:
Feb 21, 2018
Presentation from CLPHA's February 2018 Health Strategic Planning Workshop, co-facilitated with Health Impact Project and Grantmakers in Health

Authored by: CLPHA, Health Impact Project (Pew/RWJF), and Grantmakers in Health
Topics: Affordable Care Act, CLPHA, Community development, Data sharing, Health, Healthy homes, Homelessness, Housing, Medicaid / Medicare, Mental health, Obesity, Partnerships, Place-based, Research, Supportive housing, TA
Shared by Steve Lucas on Feb 27, 2018

CLPHA Health Strategic Planning Workshop Presentation

The 2018 CLPHA Health Strategic Planning Workshop, co-facilitated with Health Impact Project (a collaboration of Pew Charitable Trusts and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) and Grantmakers in Health, convened over 35 communities across the country. Participating teams included internal PHA staff at member agencies who work on health-related initiatives as well as external partners that provide services, education, and other health resources for residents.

Webinar
Feb 21, 2018
CLPHA, Health Impact Project (Pew/RWJF), and Grantmakers in Health
Presentation from CLPHA's February 2018 Health Strategic Planning Workshop, co-facilitated with Health Impact Project and Grantmakers in Health
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News Article
Community:
Nov 6, 2017
Youth Villages is one of the nonprofits highlighted in this year’s annual giving guide released on Monday by the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. The center, which researches and promotes charities that offer the most effective social good in specific areas, says one in eight people ages 16 to 24, or 4.9 million nationally, are considered disconnected, meaning that they don’t have a job and are not in high school or college. The rate is considerably higher in rural areas than urban ones. While these numbers have dropped since the depth of the Great Recession, the impact of that economic turmoil is still reverberating.

Authored by: Alina Tugend for THE NEW YORK TIMES
Topics: Foster care, Homelessness, Housing, Workforce development, Youth
Shared by Abra Lyons-Warren on Nov 7, 2017
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Research
Community:
May 24, 2017
CSH reviewed more than 32 studies of supportive housing and compiled information about outcomes (housing, healthcare, and more). These reviews should be helpful for anyone looking to quantify particular impacts of housing. Please note that this review was not undertaken in an academic or systematic way; we make no claims about the strength of these evaluations or their findings.

Authored by: CSH
Topics: Health, Healthy homes, Homelessness, Housing, Supportive housing
Shared by Steve Lucas on Jun 8, 2017
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Publication
Community:
Jun 8, 2017
A multi-faceted technical assistance resource for Public Housing Agencies and their partners who want to end homelessness. The Tookit is organized into five main sections: (1) Housing Choice Vouchers, (2) Public Housing, (3) Project-Based Vouchers, (4) Unique PHA Programs & Initiatives, (5) Primer on Homelessness ans Supportive Housing.

Authored by: Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
Topics: Homelessness, Housing, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Substance abuse, Supportive housing
Shared by Steve Lucas on Jun 8, 2017
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Video
Community:
Feb 14, 2017
If a homeless student is worrying about where he is spending the night, it’s likely he’s not going to be thinking much about his homework. And in one of the poorest districts in Kansas, educators have realized that to help homeless students they needed to do more to help homeless families. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week traveled to Kansas City to explore their unique program.

Authored by: Lisa Stark for PBS NEWSHOUR
Topics: Education, Homelessness, Midwest
Shared by Abra Lyons-Warren on Feb 17, 2017

To fight student homelessness, this school district helps the whole family

Video
Feb 14, 2017
Lisa Stark for PBS NEWSHOUR
If a homeless student is worrying about where he is spending the night, it’s likely he’s not going to be thinking much about his homework. And in one of the poorest districts in Kansas, educators have realized that to help homeless students they needed to do more to help homeless families.
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Research
Community:
Sep 1, 2014

Authored by: Greg J. Duncan and Katherine Magnuson for The Uninversity of Wisconsin-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, School-readiness
Shared by Amber-Lee Leslie on Jan 27, 2017