Grant Recipient: University of Chicago Urban Labs
Term: 2018 –2023
Principal Investigators: David Meltzer, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Harold Pollack, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Funding: $858,963
Summary: This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an adapted version of the Critical Time Intervention (CTI), a case management program designed to connect mentally-ill clients with community services and insure they have an appropriate support system. CTI is typically provided to adults with severe mental illness leaving shelters, hospitals, or other institutions, with the goal of preventing homelessness. In this adaptation, CTI will be offered to ex-detainees who (i) are being discharged from Cook County Jail in Chicago, IL; (ii) have a history of substance abuse, mental illness, and/or chronic health conditions; (iii) and are identified as being at high risk of homelessness. The program’s delivery is being supported by Cook County and philanthropic funders.
CTI is backed by strong, replicated RCT evidence of reductions in homelessness when delivered to the original target population: adults with severe mental illness, based on findings of reductions of more than 60% in the likelihood of experiencing homelessness.
The study will randomly assign approximately 657 ex-detainees over the course of 20 months to receive the intervention described above, or to receive usual services, and will measure re-incarceration rates for a new offense, as well as homelessness, over a three-year follow-up period.
The study’s pre-analysis plan is linked here.
