The Commonwealth's Premier Housing First Initiative:

Home & Healthy for Good

SUMMER 2008
MHSA Releases Updated Home & Healthy for Good Report
Statewide Housing First initiative reports dramatic cost savings to Commonwealth 

Home & Healthy for Good continues to lead the housing revolution in Massachusetts, moving the Commonwealth ever closer to a humane, efficient, and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.  An evaluation of the Housing First program, with a focus on the cost per participant and projected cost savings in state-funded programs, is ongoing.  Recent highlights include:

• As of June 16, 2008, 281 formerly homeless people have been housed across Massachusetts.
• Tenant retention stands at 82%. 
• For the 239 participants who participate in the research study component:
  • The annual costs per person, including the cost of housing and services, decreased from $33,440 before housing to $25,519 after housing placement, an annual savings to the state of $7,921 per person. Most of these savings are a result of a drastic decrease in costly inpatient medical care.

Click here for the full report.  Click here to see a video featuring Home & Healthy for Good tenants.

AUTUMN 2007
MHSA Presents Home & Healthy for Good to State Commission to End Homelessness

The Massachusetts Commission to End Homelessness has identified Home & Healthy for Good, the statewide Housing First initiative overseen by MHSA, as a “best practice” in ending homelessness.

On September 20, 2007, at the invitation of the Commission, MHSA Executive Director Joe Finn and Physician Advocate Dr. Jessie Gaeta presented the concept of Housing First - and specifically the experience of the Home & Healthy for Good initiative – at the fifth Commission meeting.  The Commission was created by legislation sponsored by Representative Byron Rushing, Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos and Senator Dianne Wilkerson.  Commission members include representatives of the executive and legislative branches of government, state agencies, leaders of local municipalities and service providers.  The Commission is charged with the task of recommending a broad-based housing plan to end homelessness in Massachusetts. 

Finn and Gaeta shared the results of Home & Healthy for Good, a Housing First initiative funded by the Commonwealth, that has seen impressive results in its first year of operation.  To date, more than 200 chronically homeless individuals have been housed and given access to intensive case management.  The average retention rate in housing stands at 85%. 

Finn and Gaeta also presented statistics on the dramatic cost savings, particularly in health care services, that are being realized through a Housing First strategy.  They noted the differences between a Housing First approach and the traditional continuum of care model: Housing First moves away from a linear model of care that designates housing as the end result of compliance-based programs.  Many of the hardest to serve, particularly those with disabilities, have difficulty navigating such a complex service system.  A Housing First approach is predicated on two convictions: first, that housing is a basic human need, not a reward for clinical success; and second, that once the chaos of homelessness is eliminated from a person’s life, clinical and social stabilization occur faster and are more enduring. 

After the presentation, Finn, appointed by Governor Patrick as a Commission member, noted “We were pleased by the invitation to present and are very excited that the Commission is seriously considering a more cost-effective and strategic use of resources for ending homelessness in the Commonwealth.” 

Finn and Gaeta also presented to the City of Worcester task force on homelessness.  MHSA is available for presentations about Housing First and Home & Healthy for Good.  Contact Erin Donohue for further information.  For the PowerPoint of the presentation to the Commission, click here.

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