An Evaluation of an Initiative to Improve Coordination and Service Delivery of Homeless Services Networks

This study examines system changes associated with the implementation of the Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness, an 11-site multi-agency intervention for chronically homeless adults. Data obtained from key informants on community-level interventions and interorganizational relationships were gathered from an average of 6.6 agencies at each site in four yearly waves. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine time trends and bivariate relationships between measures. There were significant increases over the full study period in the use of practices designed to encourage system integration, as well as in interorganizational measures of joint planning and coordination, and of trust and respect, although in later waves of the study these measures leveled off. There were also highly significant and positive cross-sectional associations between the use of practices designed to encourage system integration and direct measures of service system integration as well as between measures of change in these system characteristics.