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Study Name
Rent-Free Non-Abstinence-Contingent Housing
Study Sharepoint ID
3119.02
Evaluation name
Long-Term Housing and Work Outcomes Among Treated Cocaine-Dependent Homeless Persons
Intervention (standard name)
Strength of Evidence Tag
Reason for the Rating

This study received a low study quality rating because it is a high-attrition randomized controlled trial that does not adjust estimated impacts for potentially important differences between the intervention and comparison groups.

This study received a low study quality rating because it is a high-attrition randomized controlled trial that does not adjust estimated impacts for potentially important differences between the intervention and comparison groups.

Services
Settings in which the intervention was studied
Count age
0
Count Young Adults
0
Count Hard-to-employ
0
Count Disability
0
Count chronically ill
0
Count mentally ill
0
Count substance dependent
0
Count formerly incarcerated
0
Count Justice involved
0
Count limited work history
0
Count homeless
0
Count immigrants
0
Count refugees
0
Count veterans
0
Count female
0
Count Male
0
Count Any postsecondary education
0
Count With a high school diploma or GED
0
Count No high school diploma or GED
0
Count Married
0
Count Parents
0
Count Single Parents
0
Count Non-Custodial Parents
0
Count Employed
0
Count Self employed
0
Count Unemployed
0
Count Disconnected/discouraged workers
0
Count general low-income population
0
Count Very low income (as classified by the authors)
0
Count welfare population
0
Count long-term welfare recipients
0
Count Asian
0
Count Black or African American
0
Count Hispanic or Latino of any race
0
Count American Indian or Alaska Native
0
Count Pacific islander
0
Count White
0
Count More than one race
0
Count Unknown race
0
Count another race
0
Percent mentally ill
100.00
Percent substance dependent
100.00
Percent homeless
100.00
Percent female
25.77
Percent Male
74.23
Percent Married
1.17
Percent Employed
8.62
Percent Black or African American
96.76
Percent unknown race
3.24
Mean age
39.20
Group formation formatted

Adults experiencing homelessness with cocaine dependence and nonpsychotic mental disorders who were clients at Birmingham Health Care (BHC) between 1994 and 2001 were randomly divided into three groups when they entered the clinic: abstinence-contingent housing (ACH), non-abstinence-contingent housing (NACH), and no housing (NH). In total, 63 participants were assigned to ACH, 66 participants were assigned to NACH, and 66 participants were assigned to NH. The current review compares outcomes of NACH and NH participants. Other reviews include contrasts of ACH with NH and ACH with NACH.

Study timing formatted

Random assignment occurred from September 1994 to November 2001, and evaluators measured outcomes one year after assignment.

Implementing organization formatted

Birmingham Health Care - Birmingham, AL

Treatment condition formatted

Cocaine-dependent adults with nonpsychotic mental disorders who either met federal criteria for homelessness or were deemed at serious risk for homelessness were randomly assigned to a six-month treatment program and placed in program-provided housing. In the first phase of the intervention, participants received one to two months of outpatient treatment at BHC to reduce cocaine dependency. For about six hours per day, participants received counseling, psychological evaluation, group-based educational therapy, and routine drug testing. Participants were also required to set therapeutic goals and were incentivized to meet these goals (receiving $5 or $10 debit cards for doing so). Transportation was provided to and from BHC. In the second phase of the intervention, participants were provided with three to five months of work therapy and after-care at BHC. For work therapy, participants spent 6.5 hours per day in food service, landscaping, or construction jobs, earning $5.25 an hour. In the first phase, furnished housing was provided rent-free after participants took two urine drug tests (provision was not contingent upon test results). In the second phase of the intervention, participants were charged $161 per month to remain in program housing but were not evicted if unable to provide payment.

Comparison condition formatted

Participants in the comparison group did not receive program-provided housing during the six-month intervention but did receive the same outpatient and work therapy services as participants in the intervention group.

Mandatory services formatted

None

Setting details formatted

The study took place in Birmingham, AL. Study participants were recruited at BHC, a homeless health care agency.

Delivered by public or private entity?
Public
Secondary domains examined

Housing

Earliest publication year
2007
Most recent publication year
2007
Manuscripts
Check edits flag
No
Primary Service
Supportive services (housing)