FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA | December 2, 2024 – CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing) a national nonprofit intermediary and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) today announced it is collaborating with PATH, a California-based affordable and supportive housing provider, on a groundbreaking randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the impact of evidence-based supported employment services for people recently experiencing homelessness and who have a range of disabilities and mental health challenges. Westat, a national consulting and research firm overseeing and evaluating RCT, began enrolling study participants in Los Angeles through PATH.
CSH and Westat initiated the Supportive Housing and Individual Placement and Support (SHIPS) pilot to examine whether Individual Placement and Support (IPS), in comparison with the usual employment services offered to supportive housing tenants, will help recently homeless people who are experiencing the stability of supportive housing find and maintain employment. The goal is to improve self-sufficiency in a population with a history of homelessness and high rates of disability and mental illness.
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based approach to supported employment for people with mental illness. It emphasizes rapid job placement in competitive employment settings followed by ongoing support from a vocational specialist. It works by integrating vocational services with case management and mental health treatment in a team-based approach that provides personalized job search assistance and ongoing support to maintain employment.
“This pilot intersects supportive housing and IPS, two evidence-based models with so many overlapping principles and core values. Therefore, we knew we had to find out whether IPS could work in a supportive housing setting,” said Dara Weinger, a Senior Program Manager at CSH, who pitched the pilot to CSH senior leadership. “Employment is a pathway to economic security and independence for people living in supportive housing, and we felt that we would be doing a disservice to supportive housing residents by not asking the simple question, ‘Do you want to work?’”
Sasha Morozov, Regional Director for PATH Los Angeles shared, “This innovative program offers a new level of employment support for our permanent supportive housing residents who are looking for the stability and independence that employment can offer. This truly demonstrates that “Housing First” does not mean ‘Housing Only.’ Once people make it home, they can work on other goals, and we are excited to help more of our residents enter the workforce.”
SHIPS will randomly assign 200 supportive housing and rapid rehousing or Time Limited Subsidy (TLS) tenants in the Los Angeles area to receive either IPS or the typical services available in supportive housing. In addition to current supportive housing services, PATH will provide IPS services, case management, and mental health support
The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is providing Westat $3 million in funding to lead the research and provide additional consultation. In 2023, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Cedars-Sinai provided more than $1 million in additional funding to plan and launch a pilot IPS program at PATH in preparation for SHIPS. When the year-long SHIPS enrollment period begins, Westat will track and evaluate each participant for two years.
“CSH is delighted at the enthusiasm this idea generated among our collaborating partners, including the Social Security Administration and Westat and our generous funding partners. We are grateful for their collaboration, support, and commitment to helping supportive housing residents achieve their highest level of stability, autonomy, and improved well-being,” said David Howden, Director, CSH Los Angeles.
ABOUT PATH
For the last 40 years, PATH has worked to end homelessness for individuals, families, and communities. We do this by providing supportive services and building affordable and supportive housing across the state. PATH has staff in 150 cities across California and provides supportive services to over 26,000 unhoused individuals each year. Learn more at: www.epath.org.
Media Contacts:
CSH, Jesse Dean, Director, Strategic Communications | jesse.dean@csh.org or 347-931-0132
PATH, Tyler Renner, Senior Director of Communications | tylerr@epathorg or 619-712-9121
