Process and Outcome in Outreach Programs for People Who Are HomelessHope PlazaColumbia, SCJuly 23, 2014

Candice Morgan, LMSW

Main Topics

Main topics include:• Key components of successful

outreach programs• Outcome measures• Implications for practice• Limitations• Potential for evaluations here

Outreach Program: Process Overview

❖ Intensive Case Management (ICM)

❖ Linked to Shelter for Men and Women

❖ Referrals to Outreach Case Management from Shelter

❖ Screen for and Identify

❖ Chronic Homelessness

❖ Severe Disability

❖ Psychiatric Symptoms

Intensive Case Managers• Work 1 on 1

• Meet Whenever is Necessary

• Serve as Advocates

• Refer and Link

• Continued and Unwavering Support

Relationship is Key

❖ Develop the relationship first

❖ Strengths Model of Case Management

❖ Direct Relationship between Program Elements and Program Outcomes

Elements = Outcome

❖ What We DO Matters

❖ Frequent contact over a long time

❖ Help with basic survival problems

❖ Attempting to get to know the client

❖ No requirements to get services

Outcome Measures

❖ How do we decide what to do and what to measure?

❖ Depends on the Philosophy of the Program

❖ Program Theory

❖ Availability of Valid and Reliable Measures

Outcome Measures (cont.)

❖ Social Functioning (Relationship Building)

❖ Linkage to Medical and Psychiatric Services

❖ A way to evaluate outreach

❖ Longitudinal Study

❖ To determine which elements of outreach = outcomes

Method:

❖ Baseline assessments

❖ Assessments repeated 9 and 18 months later

❖ 71 participants entered the study

❖ Lost 16 to attrition

❖ 55 participants completed study

Procedures and Instruments

❖ Uniform Client Data Instrument (Mulkern & Manderscheid)

❖ Service Utilization Form

❖ Working Alliance Inventory (Horvath & Greenburg)

Analysis

❖ Paired-samples t-test

❖ Change over 9 to 18 months

❖ Multivariate Analysis

❖ Program elements

❖ Outcomes

Results

Social Functioning

Alliance, relationship, connection

Linkage to medical and psychiatry

Reduction of symptoms

Discussion

❖ Implications for Practice

❖ Limitations

❖ Moving forward

Questions and Answers

❖ Thank you for listening

❖ Contact information: morgancr@email.sc.edu