Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Feb 21, 2023
Date Accepted: Aug 7, 2023
Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) Intervention for Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Canada: Protocol for a Multi-site, Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
The Making the Shift (MtS) Youth Homelessness Demonstration Lab is testing the effectiveness of the Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) intervention in Canada as a rights-based approach tailored specifically for young people aged 16-24 who experience or are at risk of homelessness. HF4Y is an adaptation of the adult Housing First model designed to respond to and prevent youth homelessness. Using Demonstration Projects in Ottawa and Toronto, MtS is prototyping the HF4Y model to evaluate the impact of this housing and support intervention for young people.
Objective:
The study’s overarching objective is to determine whether the HF4Y model results in better participant-level outcomes than treatment-as-usual services for young people experiencing homelessness in two urban settings: Ottawa and Toronto. Primary outcomes include housing stability, health and well-being, and complementary supports with secondary outcomes including employment and educational attainment, and social inclusion.
Methods:
The HF4Y study employs a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), multi-site mixed methods research approach to data collection and analysis. Eligible participants included young people aged 16-24 who were experiencing homelessness or housing precarity. Participants recruited were assigned through strict randomization to either TAU or the HF intervention group. Survey and interview data in Ottawa and Toronto are being collected at multiple time points (3-6 months) over four years to capture a range of outcomes. Analytic strategies for quantitative data will include mixed-effect modeling for repeated measures and logistic models. A thematic analysis will be used for analyzing qualitative data based on participants’ narratives and life journeys through homelessness.
Results:
The HF4Y study has received human participant research ethics approval from the Office of Research Ethics at York University. Recruitment took place from February 2018 to March 2020. Data collection will be expected to be completed in both sites by March 2024. A preliminary analysis of data collected between baseline and 24 months is underway.
Conclusions:
This pilot RCT study is the first to test the effectiveness of the Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) intervention in Canada. The findings of the study will enhance our understanding of how to effectively deliver and scale up the HF4Y intervention, with the aim of continually improving on the HF4Y model that promotes better outcomes for youth. Clinical Trial: The study has been registered with the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register and assigned ISRCTN10505930. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10505930
Citation
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Copyright
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