28607-New Orleans Homeless Substance Abusers Project (NOHSAP)

Study Name

The New Orleans Homeless Substance Abusers Project (NOHSAP)—Transitional Care (TC)

Study Sharepoint ID

28607

Evaluation name

Evaluation of New Orleans Homeless Substance Abusers Project (NOHSAP)

This study received a low study quality rating because the implementation of the randomized controlled trial was compromised and it does not demonstrate that the intervention and comparison groups were sufficiently similar before the intervention.

This study received a low study quality rating because the implementation of the randomized controlled trial was compromised and it does not demonstrate that the intervention and comparison groups were sufficiently similar before the intervention.

Design

Randomized controlled trial

Services

Case management

Health services

Substance use disorder treatment and mental health services

Housing

Populations targeted

Homelessness

Substance use disorder

Settings in which the intervention was studied

Urban only

Demographics

Subgroups

Subgroup data - Female

Subgroup data - Male

Subgroup data - White

Subgroup data - Black

Count age

165

Count Young Adults

Count Hard-to-employ

Count Disability

Count chronically ill

Count mentally ill

Count substance dependent

Count formerly incarcerated

Count Justice involved

Count limited work history

Count homeless

Count immigrants

Count refugees

Count veterans

Count female

505

Count Male

Count Any postsecondary education

Count With a high school diploma or GED

Count No high school diploma or GED

Count Married

Count Parents

Count Single Parents

Count Non-Custodial Parents

Count Employed

Count Self employed

Count Unemployed

Count Disconnected/discouraged workers

Count general low-income population

Count Very low income (as classified by the authors)

Count welfare population

Count long-term welfare recipients

Count Asian

551

Count Black or African American

Count Hispanic or Latino of any race

Count American Indian or Alaska Native

Count Pacific islander

Count White

107

Count White not Hispanic

Count More than one race

Count Unknown race

Count another race

Percent homeless

100.00

Percent female

75.40

Percent Male

24.60

Percent Black or African American

82.20

Percent White not Hispanic

16.00

Percent another race

1.80

Mean age

34.00

Study Characteristics

Group formation formatted

This study used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Adults who completed NOHSAP's seven-day detox program and were evaluated as suitable for the intervention were included in the pool for selection into the intervention group. Initially, researchers assigned 24 participants deemed suitable for treatment to the intervention group with a probability of 1 until capacity was reached. The remaining participants in the eligible pool were to be randomly assigned to the intervention (residential transitional care or residential transitional care plus extended care/independent living) or the comparison group. However, of the 164 individuals who received the intervention, only 53 were randomized. In addition, 80 individuals were enrolled in the transitional care program without randomization; 8 enrolled after being randomized to the comparison group; and 11 were randomized to the intervention group but did not enroll. The comparison group consisted of 506 participants in total. Both the unit of assignment and unit of analysis were at the individual level.

Study timing formatted

February 1991 to January 1993

Implementing organization formatted

Not available

Treatment condition formatted

The intervention group participated in a residential transitional care (TC) treatment program intended for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders. The intervention was designed to last 21 days. Participants were housed in the NOHSAP residential facility, where they participated in group meetings twice per day, received assessment and case management services, and were placed in an off-campus drug or alcohol support group. Those who completed the TC program were also eligible for placement in a 12-month extended care/independent living (ECIL) program, which continued and amplified the services received in the TC program. Before they were assigned to the intervention group, all participants completed a seven-day detoxification program in the residential facility, involving limited counseling and assessment, and an introduction to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous principles.

Comparison condition formatted

The comparison group participated in a seven-day residential detoxification program, involving housing in the NOHSAP facility, limited counseling and assessment, and an introduction to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous principles. They were then released back into the community, with no further services provided.

Mandatory services formatted

None

Setting details formatted

New Orleans, LA; residential facility

Secondary domains examined

Substance use; Housing; Family/social integration; Program attendance

Citations/manuscripts

Earliest publication year

1993

Most recent publication year

1997

Manuscripts