DEPAUL UNIVERSITY | DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
We are conducting a qualitative case study of the Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) system for single adults experiencing homelessness in King County, WA. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research and aims to: 1) understand CEA procedures step-by-step from coordinated assessment through housing placement, 2) identify ways in which CEA has helped facilitate housing placements for single adults, 3) identify challenges that have emerged in CEA implementation, and 4) explore whether perspectives on the benefits and challenges of the CEA system differ across key stakeholder groups. To achieve these aims, we are conducting interviews and focus groups with a range of stakeholders, including individuals experiencing homelessness who have interacted with the CEA system, service providers, and local leadership.
Co-Principal Investigator: Rachel Fyall, Ph.D., University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance
Consultant: Sam Tsemberis, Ph.D., Pathways Housing First
In collaboration with ONE Northside, a Chicago-based affordable housing advocacy organization, we are conducting a qualitative study exploring residential transition experiences of individuals who have been displaced from single-room occupancy (SRO) housing due to gentrification. The study aims to identify the housing options and support needs of individuals who are displaced to support ONE Northside’s advocacy efforts to preserve SRO housing and ensure displaced individuals receive adequate resources to support their housing transitions. This study employs a participatory action research methodology and builds upon a fieldwork project led by doctoral student Camilla Cummings, in which ONE Northside stakeholders and individuals with lived experience of SRO displacement co-developed the research questions, methods, and the interview protocol. The study is funded through a Society for Community Research and Action Mini-grant awarded to Camilla Cummings, and a DePaul University Steans Center Community-based Faculty Fellowship awarded to Molly Brown.
In collaboration with two Chicago-based homeless service providers, we are conducting a qualitative study to understand housing goals and barriers to housing among individuals who have consistent shelter stays of three years or more. In light of the proliferation of low barrier supportive housing options for individuals who experience chronic homelessness, the current literature has not adequately explored the barriers to housing among those who remain unwilling, or unable, to transition into available housing options. Service providers and individuals who are long-term shelter stayers will be interviewed in this study.
The goal of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is to provide care that acknowledges the trauma of individuals who are being serviced as well as providers by creating a safe, understanding, and empathetic environment. Main principles of TIC include awareness of trauma, emphasis on safety, providing opportunities to rebuild control, and utilizing a strengths-based approach. TIC has gained significant momentum in mental health and addiction services, but less research has focused on TIC implementation in homeless services; an issue of unique importance given the high prevalence of trauma experienced among the homeless population combined with services largely staffed by paraprofessionals who may not possess foundational knowledge of the sequelae of trauma. As such, we are conducting a qualitative study on the process of implementing a TIC model at a homeless service provider in Chicago through the lens of both staff and program participants.
DePaul University
Department of Psychology
2219 N. Kenmore Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
773-325-7148
harclab@depaul.edu