Supportive Housing in Illinois: A WISE INVESTMENT The Heartland Alliance Mid-America Institute on Poverty Amy Rynell Director

STUDY OVERVIEW  476 supportive housing residents from 31 supportive housing projects in 11 counties in Illinois.  Tracked individuals’ service usage for 2 years before they entered supportive housing and 2 years after entry.  Tracked 6 different systems: Medicaid reimbursed services, non-Medicaid reimbursed hospital services, state mental health hospitals, state-sponsored substance abuse treatments, state prisons, and county jails.  Analysis here is for the 177 residents that have complete data for 2 years pre-supportive housing and 2 years post-supportive housing

BACKGROUND ON PARTICIPANTS  Lived in SH an average of 38 months  Average age of 43, range  In the week prior to SH 39% lived in a shelter or TH 15.8% doubled up 10% unsheltered 9% in some type of facility

3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS Does living in supportive housing change the amount of publicly funded services residents use? Does living in supportive housing change the type of publicly funded services residents use? Is less money going into services that are primarily publicly funded for people living in supportive housing, compared to their public cost in the year(s) before they moved into supportive housing?

SERVICE TYPE ANALYSIS

HEALTH SERVICES - MEDICAID REIMBURSED SERVICES Most health-stabilizing services (outpatient medical and psychiatric care, pharmacy, home health care) increased from pre- to post-supportive housing. Two of the most expensive services, inpatient psychiatric care and nursing homes, saw a decrease in users, overnight stays, as well as cost. Overall Medicaid-reimbursed services saw a cost savings of over $183,000.

HEALTH SERVICES – HOSPITAL BASED NON-MEDICAID REIMBURSED SERVICES Emergency room users dropped 12% while the cost decreased by over 45%. Inpatient medical care had a cost savings of over 75%, saving over $50,000. Overall hospital based non-Medicaid reimbursed services saw a cost savings of over $27,000.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT All expensive overnight treatment services saw a decrease in users and overnight stays. No tenants used halfway houses or recovery homes during their post supportive housing time period, a cost savings of 100%. All substance abuse treatment services users and uses decreased except for case management which saw an increase of users by 60% from pre to post supportive housing.

MENTAL HEALTH Only 1 person used mental health hospitals during their post supportive housing time period, a decrease of users by 90%. State mental health hospitals saw a cost savings of almost $400,000.

STATE PRISONS No one used a state prison during their post supportive housing time period. State prisons saw a cost savings of over $215,000. COUNTY JAILS There was a reduction in over 50% of users from pre to post supportive housing. County jails saw a cost savings of over $27,000. PRISONS AND JAILS

SUMMARY – Quality of Life  Overall, the 177 residents shifted the types of services they used from Inpatient/Acute services during their pre supportive housing time period, to Outpatient/Preventive services during their post supportive housing time period.  Residents reported an increased quality of life after entry into SH. Their housing stabilized, their health improved and stress decreased.

SUMMARY - COSTS  Overall there was a cost savings in every system studied.  Total overall cost saving from pre to post supportive housing totaled $854,476.77, a 39% decrease, for the 177 residents.  There was an average cost savings of $4,828 per person over the study time period, or $2,414 per person per year.  The cost savings realized is likely to be much higher than reported here – excluded were homeless system costs, substance abuse treatment costs, social costs, others.

REPORT RELEASE STRATEGIES  Conducted media outreach  Presentations for funders, legislators and at conferences  Continue to hold meetings with Illinois elected officials to advocate for increased funding for supportive housing  For more information about the study, please contact: Janet Hasz at or Amy Rynell at