LATE WINTER 2007
Dr. Dennis Culhane Presents "Ending Homelessness: Research and Policy Briefing"
A group of more than 75 state legislators, legislative staff and administration officials participated in a homelessness policy briefing on February 26 in the State House. The briefing featured Dr. Dennis Culhane, a leading researcher in the field of homelessness whose work has had a significant impact on homelessness policy across the country. Rep. Byron Rushing and Sen. Steven Panagiotakos sponsored the event in partnership with the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA), One Family, Inc. and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB).
Dr. Culhane, University of Pennsylvania, presented on the typology of homeless individuals, which has shown that a small group of homeless individuals – the chronically homeless – make up about 10% of the homeless population yet consume more than 50% of the resources targeted for homeless individuals. These chronically homeless individuals struggle with substance abuse issues, mental illness and other disabilities. The presentation also included a recent study regarding the dynamics of family homelessness. The study found that, like individual homelessness, a small percentage of homeless families consumed a majority of homeless resources. However, this small group of “long-term stayers” typically did not have disabilities or other intensive service history use.
“Dr. Culhane has collected data from Massachusetts and major cities wrestling with the issue of ending homelessness in an age of scarcity and tight budgets,” said MHSA Executive Director Joe Finn. “His research has been – and will continue to be – critical in framing the ongoing policy debate around homelessness. While more resources are needed to end homelessness, refreshingly, Dr. Culhane points out that there are likely better ways to use existing ones.”
MHSA hopes that Dr. Culhane’s research will play an integral role in the work of the Commission to End Homelessness established by the State Legislature in October 2006 in a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Rushing, and senators Panagiotakos and Dianne Wilkerson.
“It is critical that legislators have access to the latest data and information based on sound, outcome-based practices and empirical evaluation that reaches beyond the usual ‘advocacy science,’” Finn said. “MHSA and its partners agree that we must pay heed to hard research if we are to find effective solutions for moving people out of homelessness.”
To view Dr. Culhane’s PowerPoint presentation, click here.
