TY - JOUR TI - Expanding the pathways to housing for individuals with complex biosocial challenges DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3348NC7 PY - 2015 AB - This dissertation investigates the ability of two service treatment systems—one focusing on a lifestyles and the other on a life-chances perspective—have in addressing barriers to self-sufficiency faced by homeless clients enrolled in the Newark (New Jersey) Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) homeless program. The study examines how program clients fare in regards to overcoming mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) disorders, obtaining housing and employment, and halting criminal activity after receiving program treatment services. This research provides an overview of the prominent challenges faced by homeless individuals, and adds to the growing body of knowledge on effective service interventions to assist homeless individuals achieve independent living. This investigation was accomplished through a quantitative and qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis examined data from the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) on 181 clients enrolled in the NDHHS SAMHSA program between 2007 and 2011. The qualitative analysis included a direct observation of program activities and structured staff and client interviews. The results from this study found a comparative benefit of the lifestyles service interventions over the life-chances service interventions in addressing clients’ outcomes related to: 1. Anxiety disorders – reducing symptoms by more than 11 days per month 2. Housing – causing a 6 times higher odds of housing for clients receiving brief treatment service intervention. 3. Employment – for each increase in lifestyles services received, clients had a 2.362 times higher odds of being employed compared to being unemployed and not looking for work. Clients receiving the lifestyles intensive outpatient service had a 53.324 times higher odds of being employed versus to being unemployed and not looking for work. 4. Illegal drug use – decreasing use by 41 percent as services got more intense. 5. Criminal activity – decreasing activity by 47 percent as intensity of services increased. The qualitative results from this study reveal that the NDHHS SAMHSA program staff viewed clients’ inability to manage existing psychiatric and addictive disorders as the primary cause of homelessness. Accordingly, the staff regarded the treatment of MH/SA disorders as essential to helping clients achieve independent living. KW - Planning and Public Policy KW - Homelessness KW - Homeless persons--Services for LA - eng ER -