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Subgroups
This study used a quasi-experimental design to form the intervention and comparison groups. Participants for the study were recruited from January 2000 to December 2005 from 11 Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers that offered the Homeless Women Veterans Program (HWVP). Eligible participants for the study were female military veterans who wanted to be part of the study and met the following criteria: (1) were experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness; (2) had not received VA health services within the 6 weeks before entry into HWVP; (3) had mental health and/or substance use issues; (4) were fit to partake in the assessment interviews; (5) were mentally and medically stable; and (6) agreed to be interviewed 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after completing treatment. Women meeting all these conditions who received at least 30 days of mental health residential treatment (RT) were assigned to the intervention group. Women meeting all these conditions who ad not received any RT treatment or received fewer than 30 days of RT treatment were assigned to the comparison group. The unit of assignment and analysis was the individual.
Researchers studied the intervention for about 87 months. Participants were enrolled from January 2000 to December 2005 (72 months), and the study followed up with participating individuals for 12 months, starting 3 months after the intervention began (so individuals enrolled in December 2005 were followed through March 2007).
Department of Veteran Affairs
The HWVP consisted of 11 VA medical centers that provided case management services and RT to female veterans who were experiencing homelessness or were at risk of experiencing homelessness. The study authors define RT as “a program that houses clients in a central location and provides clinical and social services to the clients while they are residents.” Because each VA medical center in the study had a different RT funding amount, the clinical and rehabilitation services they provided varied by center. To be considered part of the intervention condition, study participants had to receive at least 30 days of RT treatment.
The comparison condition consisted of female veterans who were experiencing homelessness or were at risk of experiencing homelessness and had not received any RT treatment or had received fewer than 30 days of RT treatment.
Study participants had to receive at least 30 days of RT treatment to be considered for the intervention condition.
The intervention was implemented in 11 VA medical centers in the United States.
Days homeless; Social support (in terms of close personal relationships); Mental health; Alcohol or substance abuse; Physical health.