The Wilson Foundation is hosting a roundtable discussion on family homelessness in Rochester, New York in partnership with The Homeless Services Network, the Rochester/Monroe County Continuum of Care, Nazareth College, and The National Center on Family Homelessness at AIR on Wednesday, June 11th.
The roundtable will take place at Nazareth College’s Forum at Shults Center, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY from 10:00 am to 11:30 am.
The Wilson Foundation, a major benefactor of upstate New York housing and social welfare programs, will highlight findings from its SHIFT (Service and Housing Interventions for Families in Transition) Study looking at the long-term outcomes for homeless families after participating in housing programs and factors that predict whether families maintain residential stability.
The SHIFT Study, conducted by The National Center on Family Homelessness at AIR, found that more than 90 percent of homeless mothers had experienced at least one instance of trauma in their lives, and the severity of their trauma-related symptoms predicted long-term residential instability. Mental health conditions among mothers that are associated with traumatic stress include depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and substance use. If left untreated, the conditions adversely affect the emotional and physical well being of these mothers’ children.
“With families now the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, it’s time we start looking more closely at their characteristics and the most effective interventions,” said Megan Bell, Executive Director of the Wilson Foundation. “Having linked trauma to residential instability for the very first time, we are now able to help local service providers think about updating their programming to account for trauma in how programs operate.”
“We are glad to be a part of this roundtable, particularly since it’s based on a study headed by Ellen Bassuk, who has been one of the most important researchers on homelessness for several decades,” said Harry Murray, chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and director of the Peace and Justice major at Nazareth College. “We know that to address the problem of homelessness, particularly family homelessness, we need to have all concerned talking and working together. We hope that this event will accelerate that process.”
“This important study will help focus needed attention on the homeless issue in our region and state,” said John Paul Perez, Department Director of Housing Services – Catholic Family Center. “By making this critical link between trauma and homelessness, organizations can target their assistance and outreach to better connect people with the services they need.”
"The SHIFT Study confirms what was first identified by Dr. Ellen Bassuk, founder of The National Center on Family Homelessness,” said Carmela DeCandia, Psy.D., Director of The National Center on Family Homelessness at AIR. “The rates of interpersonal trauma and mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression are alarmingly high for homeless mothers, and these issues significantly impact a mother’s ability to keep her family stably housed. The study shows that housing alone is not enough to end family homelessness. Specific services are needed to address these very real mental health issues. With hundreds of thousands of families homeless each year, we must ensure that needed services, including trauma-informed care, are part of all programs serving homeless families."
The Rochester roundtable is one of four events the Wilson Foundation and The National Center on Family Homelessness are sponsoring, with others scheduled in Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo.
Media: Julie Long, Chief Public Relations Officer, (585) 389-2456, jlong2@naz.edu
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