Latent homeless risk profiles of a national sample of homeless veterans and their relation to program referral and admission patterns

J. Tsai, W.J. Kasprow and R.A. Rosenheck

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue S2, S239-S247

Abstract: Objectives. We identified risk and need profiles of homeless veterans and examined the relation between profiles and referrals and admissions to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) homeless service programs. Methods. We examined data from the VA's new Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System on 120 852 veterans from 142 sites nationally in 2011 and 2012 using latent class analyses based on 9 homeless risk factors. The final 4-class solution compared both referral and admission to VA homeless services. Results. We identified 4 latent classes: relatively few problems, dual diagnosis, poverty-substance abuse-incarceration, and disabling medical problems. Homeless veterans in the first group were more likely to be admitted to the VA's permanent supportive housing program, whereas those in the second group were more likely to be admitted to more restrictive VA residential treatment. Homeless veterans in the third group were more likely to be admitted to the VA's prisoner re-entry program, and those in the fourth group were more likely to be directed to VA medical services. Conclusions. The heterogeneous risk and need profiles of homeless veterans supported the diversity of VA homeless services and encouraged the development of specialized services to meet their diverse needs.

Keywords: addiction; adult; article; female; government; health status; homelessness; housing; human; male; mental disease; mental health service; middle aged; organization and management; poverty; risk factor; social work; socioeconomics; statistics; United States; veteran; government; homelessness; Mental Disorders; poverty; statistics and numerical data; Substance-Related Disorders; veteran, Adult; Female; Health Status; Homeless Persons; Housing; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Mental Health Services; Middle Aged; Poverty; Risk Factors; Social Work; Socioeconomic Factors; Substance-Related Disorders; United States; United States Department of Veterans Affairs; Veterans, Adult; Female; Health Status; Homeless Persons; Housing; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Mental Health Services; Middle Aged; Poverty; Risk Factors; Social Work; Socioeconomic Factors; Substance-Related Disorders; United States; United States Department of Veterans Affairs; Veterans (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301322_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301322

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