New Research Snapshot! Housing First & homeless individuals with mental illness and low intellectual functioning

What you need to know:

Historically, homeless people with mental illness and low intellectual functioning (IF) haven’t been considered good candidates for most housing programs. This study is the first to demonstrate that for homeless adults with mental illness, borderline or lower intellectual functioning did not significantly affect housing stability, either within Housing First, or other housing interventions. These findings highlight the need for wider consideration of homeless people with mental illness and low IF to be included in housing interventions, including Housing First.

The findings from this study suggest that housing programs that deliver services to homeless individuals can include those with mental illness and low IF.