Supportive Housing Interventions in CT Found to Decrease Foster Care Placements

Safe, stable housing is critical to family safety, permanency, and well-being. Decades of research demonstrate the benefit of housing subsidies for families living in poverty. Until recently, there was less attention to housing as a platform for child welfare. Since 1998, Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) partnered with The Connection, Inc. to design and deliver supportive housing (SH) services for families involved in child welfare. In 2010, researchers from The University of Connecticut and Chapin Hall published a report that examined characteristics and outcomes for 1,720 families who participated in Supportive Housing for Families^® (SHF). Positive shifts in housing, environment of care, and employment were evident, suggesting clear promise.