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Scholarly Works (3 results)

  • Article
Recent Works (2023)

The Periodic Assessment of Trajectories of Housing, Health and Homelessness Study, or PATHS, is a joint initiative between USC and UCLA aimed at shining a light on the lives and experiences of PEH in LA County. PATHS features a representative sample of PEH who were unsheltered at study baseline, with ongoing monthly survey tracking on housing, health, and well-being even if respondents move into housing or shelter. In October 2022, we released an initial baseline report titled "Under Threat," which revealed substantial concern among PEH about the threat posed by camping ordinances.

This report extends on these initial findings by reporting on experiences of encampment sweeps occurring April-September 2023 and on housing and health trajectories observed throughout 2022-2023. Key findings include:

Over half of unsheltered respondents experienced a sweep, with most experiencing more than one sweep. Sweeps occur regularly across all parts of LA City and County. Respondents were predominantly informed about sweeps by law enforcement officers (53%), not by outreach workers, resulting in a four-fold increase in the monthly risk of police citation for months in which a sweep occurred vs. other months (9% vs. 2%). Shockingly, only 13% of respondents received a shelter/housing offer during a sweep, 9% actually moved into the offered shelter/housing, and just 5% stayed for even a month.

Looking beyond the specific context of sweeps, the study also explores the tenuous progress in rehousing efforts more broadly. Over the past year, we track little trend in the rates of shelter or housing among the PATHS panel. We do observe considerable churn out of and back into homelessness, with 53% leaving the streets at some point. But temporary options of shelter/interim housing showed poor success, with half of those who spent time in shelters later becoming unsheltered. Permanent housing performed considerably better, with >90% retention, yet only 7% of our sample were able to access permanent housing.

Our analysis of health care access by housing status further established the advantages of permanent housing relative to temporary options. In months spent in permanent housing, respondents reported 25% to 60% improvements in health care access. Months spent in shelters showed little advantage over unsheltered, with the exception of lower levels of food insecurity. While current samples are small, we did find that respondents staying in agency-run hotels were half as likely to visit the ER in a given month and saw fewer missed doctor’s appointments.

    Cover page: Periodic Assessment of Trajectories of Housing,Homelessness and Health (PATHS):Fall 2023 Update: Encampment Sweeps and Housing Trajectories
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UCLA Previously Published Works (2023)

    Objectives

    We describe the perceptions and experiences of anti-Asian racism and violence and depression severity prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Asian American (AA) adolescents and young adults.

    Methods

    We used data from the Young Asian American Health Survey (YAAHS), an online-recruited sample of AA adolescents (ages 13-17) and young adults (ages 18-29 years) conducted during May 2021 to March 2022. We presented descriptive statistics examining the univariate distribution and bivariate relationships of depression severity, sociodemographic characteristics, and experiences and perceptions of anti-Asian violence.

    Results

    Our sample (n = 176) comprised AA adolescents and young adults from 17 Asian ethnicities. A quarter said that the frequency and/or severity of their personal experiences of anti-Asian harassment had increased since the pandemic started. 76% indicated feeling less safe now than before the pandemic. Two-thirds reported that their depressive symptoms have increased since the pandemic started. Participants who reported feeling less safe now than before the pandemic were more likely to report increased personal experiences with anti-Asian harassment and increased depression severity since the pandemic started than those who reported feeling as safe or safer before the pandemic (p < 0.01 for both).

    Discussion

    Findings illustrate AA adolescent and young adults are experiencing multiple health and social crises stemming from increased anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge policymakers to strengthen data systems that connect racial discrimination and mental health and to institute prevention measures and anti-racist mental health services that are age- and culturally-appropriate for AA adolescent and young adults.
      Cover page: The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      UCLA Previously Published Works (2024)
      There are two dominant approaches to implementing permanent supportive housing (PSH), namely place-based (PB) and scattered-site (SS). Formal guidance does not distinguish between these two models and only specifies that PSH should be reserved for those who are most vulnerable with complex health needs. To consider both system- and self-selection factors that may affect housing assignment, this study applied the Gelberg-Anderson behavioral model for vulnerable populations to compare predisposing, enabling, and need factors among people experiencing homelessness (PE) by whether they were assigned to PB-PSH (n = 272) or SS-PSH (n = 185) in Los Angeles County during the COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory, observational study also included those who were approved but did not receive PSH (n = 94). Results show that there are notable differences between (a) those who received PSH versus those who did not, and (b) those in PB-PSH versus SS-PSH. Specifically, PEH who received PSH were more likely to be white, US-born, have any physical health condition, and have lower health activation scores. PEH who received PB- versus SS-PSH were more likely to be older, Black, have any alcohol use disorder, and have higher health activation scores. These findings suggest that homeless service systems may consider PB-PSH more appropriate for PEH with higher needs but also raises important questions about how race may be a factor in the type of PSH that PEH receive and whether PSH is received at all.
        Cover page: Placement into Scattered-Site or Place-Based Permanent Supportive Housing in Los Angeles County, CA, During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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