This report provides interested stakeholders with a preliminary overview of the outcome
and process evaluations for the HEART (Housing, Empowerment, Achievement,
Recovery and Triumph) Alliance for Sustainable Families. HEART is one of five
national demonstration sites funded by the Children’s Bureau of the Administration of
Children and Families with the United States Department of Health and Human
Services. HEART is a five year demonstration project from October 1, 2012 through
September 30, 2017. This report covers two years of HEART research study data.
HEART is a collaborative community-based supportive housing initiative designed to
assist 50 high risk and high need families in Broward County, Florida achieve family
strengthening as well as housing and economic stability. HEART represents an alliance
of 15 child welfare, housing, legal, health, and social service organizations collectively
working to improve child protection as well as family permanency and well-being.
HEART provides clinical case management, subsidized housing, economic selfsufficiency,
life coaching, legal counsel, health/behavioral health support, and domestic
violence prevention. HEART employs evidence-based interventions such as
Strengthening Families, Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the Center
for Working Families.
Using a Housing First model, HEART seeks to stabilize families involved with the child
welfare system who are at risk of/or experiencing homelessness. To gauge this impact,
Kids In Distress, Inc. (KID) subcontracted with Barry University researchers to conduct
the five-year evaluation of HEART.
