Housing First: An Ecological Approach to Promote Community Integration

EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONFERENCE
Housing First. What’s Second?
Berlin, 20th September 2013
Housing First
An ecological approach to promote
community integration
José Ornelas
ISPA – Instituto Universitário
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 Community integration is the opportunity to live
in the community and be valued for one’s
uniqueness and abilities, like everyone else.
 Community integration should result in
community presence and participation.
Salzer & Baron, 2006
Community integration

Nelson, Kloos,& Ornelas, in press;Salzer & Baron, 2006;
Ware, Hopper, Tuggenberg,Dickey,& Fisher, 2007;Wong & Solomon,2002

Multidimensional concept:
 Physical integration: access to resources and community
activities)
 Social integration: mainstreamed interactions
 Psychological integration: sense of community belonging
Wong & Solomon, 2002

Promotion of opportunities that facilitates community
participation:
 housing characteristics:
mainstreamed environments
 service characteristics:
ecological & collaborative intervention
Ornelas, 2008;Salzer & Baron, 2006;
Yanos, Felton, Tsemberis,& Frye, 2007; Wong & Solomon,2002
Community integration & ecological
approach

Housing & community integration
Individualized housing is associated with more engagement in
meaningful activities in the neighborhood and sense of community
belonging (Yanos et al., 2007)
Housing in integrated neighborhoods and with access to diverse
community resources, such as commerce and transports, was
positively associated with levels of community integration (Hall, Nelson,
& Fowler, 1987; Parkinson, Nelson, & Horgan, 1999; Segal & Aviram, 1978)
Better quality of housing environment (apartment and
neighborhood) is positively associated with the increase of housing
stability, as well as psychological wellbeing and with community
participation (Evans et al., 2000; Kloos & Shah, 2009; Nelson et al., 1998; Newman, et al., 1994;
Wright & Kloos, 2007)

 Individualized and scattered site apartments in
mainstream neighborhoods in Lisbon. Apartments
are not in the same building or street.
 Facilitate the access to services and resources that
are available to the general population.
 Facilitate the contact and relations with people that
could be natural supports, like the neighbors.
Casas Primeiro & community contexts

Casas Primeiro
ecological and collaborative intervention
 focus on concrete problem
resolution
 support services provided in
community contexts (access to
community resources and
services)
 strengthening of social contacts
and natural supports
 collaborative relation between
participants and staff: share
decisions, mutual learning
 collaboration with other
community stakeholders

Casas Primeiro: participants
Between January 2011 to December 2012, 74 homeless
people with mental health problems have used the Casas
Primeiro’s program.
 73% were male and 27% were female
 80% have a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 29.7% also
present a co-occurring substance abuse disorder
 48.6% of the participants were homeless for more than
six years and 6.7% for more than 16 years

Methods
 Instruments:
 Community Integration Scale, developed by
At Home/Chez Soi Project (2010)
 Qualitative interview
 45 participants were interviewed.

Support dimensions
0% 20% 60% 80% 100%40%
91.8%Access to documents
Access to social services and benefits 93.2%
Support in legal issues 19.8%
Contact with the families 41.9%
Support in educational and employment projects 39.1%
Access and follow-up to health services 93.2%
Linking with community services 43.2%
Housing management 72.9%
Financial management 29.7%
Personal care 44.6%
Neighbors and landlords contacts 71.6%

Physical integration
0% 50%10% 20% 30% 40%
Gone to a library
Participate in a community event
Gone to meet people at a restaurant or coffee shop
Participated in outside sports or recreation
Attended a movie or concert
15.6%
26.7%
8.9%
46.7%
15.6%
6.7%
Gone to a place of worship
or participated in a spiritual ceremony
Community activities done in the past month
All listed activities had presented some level of participation

Employment - training - education
26 participants involved in school, training, employment
or other activities
0 1 3 92 4 5 6 7 8
Job Site training
School
Workshops
Community Center
Computer training
University
Employment
Participants

Physical integration
 “Since I have my home everything became
easier. I feel that I have better access to
community resources because I have an
address to give.”
 “This house helped me to create job prospects,
because I have added conditions and better
ones. I feel more active and able to do further
things…”
(participants of “Casas Primeiro program”)

Social integration
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither
Agree
Strongly agree
31.1%
22.2%13.3%
15.6%
17.8%
Knowing most of the people who live near me
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither
Agree
Strongly agree
46.7%
15.6%
11.1%
Interacting with the people who live near me
11.1%
15.6%
Knowing mostof the people who live near me Interactingwith the people who live near me
33.4% reported they agree or strongly agree that they know most of their neighbours
with only 22.2% of the participants reporting some kind of social interaction with them.

 “…my neighbors help me a lot, they’re always available and I have
an excellent relationship with all of them. Sometimes I spend hours
talking to them. I feel appreciated in this neighborhood…”
 “…I get along with the neighbors and I know most of the people here.
Whenever I meet them they usually speak to me and extend me
sympathy since I moved here…”
 “…I think I have a good relationship with my neighbors. In fact, some
neighbors are friends, most of them are always willing to talk to me
about everything: football, politics, etc. …”
(participants of “Casas Primeiro program”)
Social integration

Psychological integration
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither
Agree
Strongly agree
8.9%
4.4%
15.6%
28.9%
42.9%
Feeling at home where I live
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither
Agree
Strongly agree
20.0%
2.2%
22.2%
28.9%
26.7%
Feeling like I belong to my local community
Feeling at home where Ilive Feeling like I belong to my local community
71.1% of participants felt at home in their neighborhood
The majority of participants (55.6%) felt they fit in and belong to their community

 “…I really like living here. My work it's really near my
home. I think I have a good relationship with everyone
and I think also that no one has anything bad to say
about me. Now I have a space that I may call home…”
 “Ever since I moved to this home, I’ve felt a big difference
in my life. I feel that it's easier to talk with other people
without feeling shame. I feel that I am embedded in
society without feeling an outcast. Now I am working and
I can save some money, I have a better quality of life, I
feel more autonomous, it’s as if a new life had begun for
me…”
(participant of “Casas Primeiro program”)
Sense of belonging

Housing First: An Ecological Approach to Promote Community Integration

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