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Housing and Support Services with Homeless Mothers: Benefits to the Mother and Her Children

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Abstract

This study reports the mental health outcomes of a small randomized clinical trial (n = 60) that compared housing and supportive services (Ecologically-Based Treatment, EBT) to community based housing and support services (treatment as usual, TAU). Mothers receiving EBT, but not those receiving TAU, reported reductions in their children’s behavioral health problems. Reductions in mothers’ mental health problems and intimate partner violence were observed in both TAU and EBT. The current findings provide evidence supporting the efficacy of independent housing and integrated support services. Given that EBT showed similar, and in some cases superior findings to TAU, EBT may be an effective alternative for communities that do not have shelters available for those families experiencing homelessness.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by NIDA Grant R01 DA023908.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Sciences, The Ohio State University, 135 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Xiamei Guo, Natasha Slesnick & Xin Feng

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  1. Xiamei Guo
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  2. Natasha Slesnick
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Correspondence to Xiamei Guo.

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Guo, X., Slesnick, N. & Feng, X. Housing and Support Services with Homeless Mothers: Benefits to the Mother and Her Children. Community Ment Health J 52, 73–83 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9830-3

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