Area of Expertise: Systems Change

Twenty years ago, CSH developed the FUSE (Frequently Used Systems Engagement) model to deliver a transformative solution that aligns housing, health, and justice systems to provide supportive housing and coordinated care. With a proven track record of success, FUSE has become a national model for cross-sector collaboration and data-driven intervention.

For 20 years, CSH has partnered with communities across the country to identify people with complex needs who frequently cycle through emergency systems—such as shelters, hospitals, and jails—and connect them to the housing and services they need to break the cycle, achieve stability, and thrive.

This brief highlights 4 communities that have successfully implemented FUSE. Partners share their lessons learned and the lasting impact that FUSE has had on systems, residents, and communities.

Supportive housing providers are encountering a significant demographic shift as the population of older adults, particularly those aged 50 and above with histories of homelessness, continues to grow. This “graying” of the tenant base presents unique challenges and necessitates adapted approaches to care. Aging adults who have experienced homelessness often face complex health issues, including chronic illnesses and geriatric conditions, significantly earlier than the general population. Additionally, older adults in supportive housing often face distinct mental health needs and potential accessibility barriers. The average life expectancy is notably lower, which further highlights the unique challenges that this group faces.

In response to these needs, this toolkit is designed to equip service and housing providers in New York with best practices solicited from providers across the state.

A number of states are looking to both increase supportive housing capacity and quality. One component of improving quality could be developing more intensive supportive services. Many barriers exist to increasing supportive housing capacity for most communities, including a lack of a Medicaid Authority. Nearly 30 states already have in place some supportive housing services benefit, and CSH’s map can help you find where your state is in the process. This brief provides a detailed summary of state actions and lessons that could be replicated in your state.

Updated November 2025

This report presents a comprehensive assessment of workforce needs in the homeless services sector in Los Angeles County. Using detailed labor market data, industry and occupational analyses, and comparison of postsecondary award trends, this study’s findings reveal a significant gap between workforce demand and educational supply of trained workers.

The people who serve individuals experiencing homelessness are the foundation of the county’s response system. Supporting an adequate number of well-trained workers in this sector is not only a practical necessity, it is a matter of public trust and social equity. Ultimately, the county’s investments in services for the homeless must be matched by investments in the workforce. With data-driven strategies and targeted investment, Los Angeles County can build the workforce it needs to match the scale of its commitment to ending homelessness

This one-pager provides five proven state actions to reduce unsheltered homelessness. In response to recent executive orders, these practical, evidence-based strategies for responding to unsheltered homelessness deliver measurable results.

This critical resource will identify the need for the creation of 38,000 units of supportive housing, the anticipated cost of addressing this need, and recommendations for funding mechanisms that have been proven to expand the resources needed to create supportive housing opportunities.

This document provides a framework for practice in family supportive housing settings. It is intended to be a capacity-building tool for those who are designing or already providing case management services for families living in supportive housing. However, those in the supportive housing field are encouraged to further enhance this tool with their own experiences and practice protocols.

This guide is intended for supportive housing administrators and practitioners who are developing and involved in supportive housing efforts that serve families with children. Families being served by supportive housing efforts face a complex set of challenges including long-term and repeated homelessness, child welfare involvement, mental health issues, domestic violence, and a parental history of trauma. The instability, trauma and complex needs of these families not only impact their housing outcomes, but also their parenting and child development outcomes. Permanent supportive housing for these families provides a platform for adult healing, family strengthening and a healthier life course for the children and youth. To support a family’s ability to use the opportunity that supportive housing provides fully it will be important for supportive housing providers to build an environment that is both developmentally appropriate to the needs of children and responsive to the unique needs and pressures of parents.

This sample tenant manual was developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy in collaboration with the Corporation for Supportive Housing. It is specifically designed as a resource for supportive housing providers working with families, especially those families involved with the child welfare system. The goal was to develop a tenant manual that could be easily adapted for sites that are providing supportive housing for families. While it may be most useful to programs serving families at a single site such as an apartment building or a cluster of apartment units managed by the same housing provider, we encourage providers of scattered site housing to review and adapt with landlords as you find useful.

H.R.1 includes requirements and budgetary changes that will make continuous health care coverage a challenge for individuals who are experiencing homelessness or have experienced homelessness and housing instability, including most supportive housing residents. This brief summarizes solutions to help states ensure that Medicaid eligible individuals remain enrolled and compliant with the new law.