Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Barragán, Armando

Abstract

Substance use is a prevalent issue in the homeless population, and in recent years, the homeless population has continued to grow. HF is a model where a homeless person is placed in housing with no preconditions. This model has been shown to be an effective tool in solving homelessness while also mitigating the rate of substance use in this population. However, there is no clear data on whether women benefit at the same rate as men in HF, and the majority of current studies are male-focused. Women often face unique issues like higher levels of assault while homeless, and it is not clear if the current HF policies are equally beneficial to women in moderating substance use or if a more tailored approach is needed. This study will be a quantitative study, using a stratified random sample to survey around 100,000 people who are currently in a federally funded HF program from around the United States. An independent sample t-test will be used to compare substance use outcomes of formerly homeless men and women in federally provided HF. The significance of this study will be its contribution to one of social work’s grand goals of ending homelessness, and a clear understanding of the benefits of HF policies will lead to better outcomes for those who participate in the different HF programs.

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