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Ijadi‐Maghsoodi, R., Moore, E. M., Feller, S., Cohenmehr, J., Ryan, G. W., Kataoka, S., & Gelberg, L. (2022). Beyond housing: Understanding community integration among homeless‐experienced veteran families in the United States. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(2), e493-e503. Evidence Rating: Emerging Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Family-Based Interventions
School-Based Family Intervention
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Intervention Description: We sought to understand the experiences of community integration among homeless-experienced veteran families. We used a two-stage, community-partnered approach. First, we analysed 16 interviews with homeless-experienced veteran parents (parents who served in the military; n = 9) living in permanent housing and providers of homeless services (n = 7), conducted from February to September 2016, for themes of community integration. Second, we developed a workgroup of nine homeless-experienced veteran parents living in a permanent housing facility, who met four times from December 2016 to July 2017 to further understand community integration. We audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed the interviews and workgroups for community integration themes. Intervention Results: We describe our findings across three stages of community integration: (a) first housed, (b) adjusting to housing and the community, and (c) housing maintenance and community integration. We found that parents tended to isolate after transitioning into permanent housing. After this, families encountered new challenges and were guarded about losing housing. One facilitator to community integration was connecting through children to other parents and community institutions (e.g. schools). Although parents felt safe around other veterans, many felt judged by non-veterans. Parents and providers reported a need for resources and advocacy after obtaining housing. We share implications for improving community integration among homeless-experienced veteran families, including providing resources after obtaining housing, involving schools in facilitating social connections, and combating stigma. Conclusion: Parents tended to isolate after transitioning into permanent housing. After this, families encountered new challenges and were guarded about losing housing. One facilitator to community integration was connecting through children to other parents and community institutions (e.g. schools). Although parents felt safe around other veterans, many felt judged by non-veterans. Parents and providers reported a need for resources and advocacy after obtaining housing. Study Design: two-stage, community-partnered approach Setting: United States Population of Focus: researchers, public health specialists Sample Size: n=16 parents Age Range: N/A Access Abstract
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