Community Integration of SMIs in Supportive Housing

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Provided by applicant): It has been assumed that given appropriate services and supports suited to their mental health status and needs, persons with serious mental illness (SMI) may maintain community tenure and participate as full members of the community in the least restrictive living environment, as exemplified by independent housing (Carling, 1993). However, while housing and support services are found to be two critical components in maintaining community tenure, services research has not examined the extent to which housing and service characteristics are related to community integration of persons with SMI living in independent housing. The proposed research seeks to document the levels of community integration and examine the extent to which housing and service characteristics explain variability in integration among consumers in supportive independent housing. A broadened definition of community integration is used, which encompasses the physical, social and psychological aspects of integration (Aubry and Myner, 1996). A sample of 250 individuals will be interviewed and their housing characteristics documented using direct observation and administrative data. Staff of residential support programs will be interviewed on the behavioral environment (policy and availability of services) of programs that provide community supports. Information collected from multiple sources will provide data to test hypotheses regarding the relationship between housing and service environments and community integration.