This document reports on efforts to break the homelessness-jail cycle with Housing First; it is organized into sections such as Breaking the Cycle, The Denver SIB, Research Questions and Methods, Program Model and Implementation, Study Population; Engagement and Housing Stability, Impact of the Denver SIB, and conclusion; it also includes appendices, notes, and references.
This document reports on the City and County of Denver launching of a supportive housing initiative to increase housing stability and decrease jail stays among people who experienced long-term homelessness and had frequent interactions with the criminal justice and emergency health systems. This final report examines the impacts of supportive housing on housing stability and shelter use; interactions with the criminal justice system, including arrests and returns to jail; and the use of emergency detoxification services. It describes the randomized controlled trial methodology, including participant selection, and outcomes. The report demonstrates Denver SIB’s (Social Impact Bond Initiative) success and impacts, with evidence to support the idea that homelessness is a solvable problem; it also shows that investment in supportive housing can decrease police interactions and arrests, disrupt jail cycling, and reduce the use of emergency detoxification facilities.