Toward Understanding Homelessness: The 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research

This report includes twelve bibliographical papers from invited authors on the latest findings from homeless research and the implications of those findings for policy and practice. Topics include, for example, housing models, families and children experiencing homelessness, and chronic homelessness.

On March 1–2, 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sponsored the second National Symposium on Homelessness Research, the first was in 1998. This publication is a compendium of the 12 papers prepared for and presented at the 2007 Symposium.

For the 2007 Symposium, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at HHS and the Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at HUD contracted with Abt Associates Inc. and Policy Research Associates, Inc., to work with staff across several federal agencies and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate a second National Symposium, focusing on lessons learned from research and practice since the 1998 meeting. To guide the development of the Symposium, an expert panel was convened to provide input on the format for the event, paper topics, paper authors, and Symposium participants. The members of the expert panel also reviewed and provided comments on draft papers prior to the Symposium.

The following articles were presented and are available from the link to this record.

  • Historical and Contextual Influences on the U.S. Response to Contemporary Homelessness
  • Changing Homeless and Mainstream Service Systems: Essential Approaches to Ending Homelessness
  • Consumer Integration and Self-Determination in Homelessness Research, Policy, Planning, and Services
  • People Who Experience Long-Term Homelessness: Characteristics and Interventions
  • Homeless Families and Children
  • Homeless Youth in the United States: Recent Research Findings and Intervention Approaches
  • Characteristics of Help-Seeking Street Youth and Non-Street Youth
  • Rural Homelessness
  • Incarceration and Homelessness
  • Housing Models
  • Employment and Income Supports for Homeless People
  • Accountability, Cost-Effectiveness, and Program Performance: Progress Since 1998
Publication Date: 
2007
Location: 
Washington, DC, USA