Choice and outcome in mental health supported housing

This paper discusses choice in mental health supported housing, providing results from a longitudinal study of two models of supported housing (a higher support and a lower support model).

The progress of 27 tenants at the two sites was tracked on measures of satisfaction with housing, social support satisfaction, mental health, physical health, and mastery over the course of one year. Measurements were taken at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.

Although there were trends toward positive changes at both sites, with the Bonferroni adjustment, only positive within group changes in perceptions of physical health between baseline and 12 months at the higher support site endured. There were no significant differences in changes between the two sites.

We conclude that there appears to be some support for the positive effects of choice in mental health supported housing. Further research in this area will require flexible programming and funding that create opportunities for true partnerships with consumer-survivors.