Housing First: An Ecological Approach to Promote Community Integration

EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Housing First. What’s Second?

Berlin, 20th September 2013

Housing First An ecological approach to promote

community integration

José Ornelas

ISPA – Instituto Universitário

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Community integration is the opportunity to live

in the community and be valued for one’s

uniqueness and abilities, like everyone else.

Community integration should result in

community presence and participation.

Salzer & Baron, 2006

Community integration





Nelson, Kloos, & Ornelas, in press; Salzer & Baron, 2006; Ware, Hopper, Tuggenberg, Dickey, & Fisher, 2007; Wong & Solomon, 2002




Multidimensional concept:

Physical integration: access to resources and community

activities)

Social integration: mainstreamed interactions

Psychological integration: sense of community belonging

Wong & Solomon, 2002





Promotion of opportunities that facilitates community

participation:

housing characteristics:

mainstreamed environments

service characteristics:

ecological & collaborative intervention

Ornelas, 2008; Salzer & Baron, 2006;

Yanos, Felton, Tsemberis, & Frye, 2007; Wong & Solomon, 2002

Community integration & ecological

approach




Housing & community integration

Individualized housing is associated with more engagement in meaningful activities in the neighborhood and sense of community belonging (Yanos et al., 2007)

Housing in integrated neighborhoods and with access to diverse community resources, such as commerce and transports, was positively associated with levels of community integration (Hall, Nelson, & Fowler, 1987; Parkinson, Nelson, & Horgan, 1999; Segal & Aviram, 1978)

Better quality of housing environment (apartment and neighborhood) is positively associated with the increase of housing stability, as well as psychological wellbeing and with community participation (Evans et al., 2000; Kloos & Shah, 2009; Nelson et al., 1998; Newman, et al., 1994; Wright & Kloos, 2007)




Individualized and scattered site apartments in mainstream neighborhoods in Lisbon. Apartments are not in the same building or street.

Facilitate the access to services and resources that

are available to the general population.

Facilitate the contact and relations with people that

could be natural supports, like the neighbors.

Casas Primeiro & community contexts




Casas Primeiro

ecological and collaborative intervention

focus on concrete problem resolution

support services provided in community contexts (access to community resources and services)

strengthening of social contacts and natural supports

collaborative relation between participants and staff: share decisions, mutual learning

collaboration with other community stakeholders




Casas Primeiro: participants

Between January 2011 to December 2012, 74 homeless

people with mental health problems have used the Casas

Primeiro’s program.

73% were male and 27% were female

80% have a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 29.7% also

present a co-occurring substance abuse disorder

48.6% of the participants were homeless for more than

six years and 6.7% for more than 16 years




Methods

Instruments:

Community Integration Scale, developed by

At Home/Chez Soi Project (2010)

Qualitative interview

45 participants were interviewed.




Support dimensions

0% 20% 60% 80% 100%40%

91.8%Access to documents

Access to social services and benefits 93.2%

Support in legal issues 19.8%

Contact with the families 41.9%

Support in educational and employment projects 39.1%

Access and follow-up to health services 93.2%

Linking with community services 43.2%

Housing management 72.9%

Financial management 29.7%

Personal care 44.6%

Neighbors and landlords contacts 71.6%




Physical integration

0% 50%10% 20% 30% 40%

Gone to a library

Participate in a community event

Gone to meet people at a restaurant or coffee shop

Participated in outside sports or recreation

Attended a movie or concert

15.6%

26.7%

8.9%

46.7%

15.6%

6.7%

Gone to a place of worship or participated in a spiritual ceremony

Community activities done in the past month

All listed activities had presented some level of participation




Employment - training - education

26 participants involved in school, training, employment

or other activities

0 1 3 92 4 5 6 7 8

Job Site training

School

Workshops

Community Center

Computer training

University

Employment

Participants




Physical integration

“Since I have my home everything became

easier. I feel that I have better access to

community resources because I have an

address to give.”

“This house helped me to create job prospects,

because I have added conditions and better

ones. I feel more active and able to do further

things…” (participants of “Casas Primeiro program”)




Social integration

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither

Agree

Strongly agree

31.1%

22.2%13.3%

15.6%

17.8%

Knowing most of the people who live near me

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither

Agree

Strongly agree

46.7%

15.6%

11.1%

Interacting with the people who live near me

11.1%

15.6%

Knowing most of the people who live near me Interacting with the people who live near me

33.4% reported they agree or strongly agree that they know most of their neighbours

with only 22.2% of the participants reporting some kind of social interaction with them.




“…my neighbors help me a lot, they’re always available and I have

an excellent relationship with all of them. Sometimes I spend hours

talking to them. I feel appreciated in this neighborhood…”

“…I get along with the neighbors and I know most of the people here.

Whenever I meet them they usually speak to me and extend me

sympathy since I moved here…”

“…I think I have a good relationship with my neighbors. In fact, some

neighbors are friends, most of them are always willing to talk to me

about everything: football, politics, etc. …”

(participants of “Casas Primeiro program”)

Social integration




Psychological integration

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither

Agree

Strongly agree

8.9%4.4%

15.6%

28.9%

42.9%

Feeling at home where I live

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither

Agree

Strongly agree

20.0%

2.2%

22.2%

28.9%

26.7%

Feeling like I belong to my local community

Feeling at home where I live Feeling like I belong to my local community

71.1% of participants felt at home in their neighborhood

The majority of participants (55.6%) felt they fit in and belong to their community




“…I really like living here. My work it's really near my

home. I think I have a good relationship with everyone

and I think also that no one has anything bad to say

about me. Now I have a space that I may call home…”

“Ever since I moved to this home, I’ve felt a big difference

in my life. I feel that it's easier to talk with other people

without feeling shame. I feel that I am embedded in

society without feeling an outcast. Now I am working and

I can save some money, I have a better quality of life, I

feel more autonomous, it’s as if a new life had begun for

me…”

(participant of “Casas Primeiro program”)

Sense of belonging

News & Politics

Housing First: An Ecological Approach to Promote Community Integration