Pilot: Permanent Supportive Housing for Justice-Involved Frequent Utilizers

This project will examine the effect of receiving permanent supportive housing services on housing, health, labor market, and criminal justice outcomes for individuals who repeatedly interact with the criminal justice system. The FUSE (Frequent Users Systems Engagement) Initiative, a new program in Franklin County, OH (Columbus), offers permanent supportive housing (PSH) to individuals with a history of many jail stays. “Frequent utilizers” of the criminal justice system are often affected by one or more adverse conditions that make it difficult to attain stability and increase the likelihood of recidivism. The County, in partnership with implementing partners and the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame, is conducting a randomized controlled trial to quantify the impact of PSH. The initial, pilot phase of the study will include 84 eligible individuals in the County. The study will track several key outcomes, including housing stability and homelessness, emergency care use, the cost of healthcare services, public benefit usage, and recidivism. This pilot would provide the basis for a larger scale evaluation as the program expands.