The surprisingly simple way Utah solved chronic homelessness and saved millions

The story of how Utah solves long-term homeless problems began in 2003 with the huge ballroom in Las Vegas. The immediate problem seems to be difficult to solve. Since the early 1970s, the number of people with chronic homeless has increased rapidly. Related costs have sharply increased. Research by the University of Pennsylvania

In Utah, the number of long-term homeless people has decreased from 2000 in 2005 to less than 200 in 2015. This is a 91% reduction. Lloyd Pendleton designed the homeless correspondence of Utah state "housing priority" as the head of the state's homeless countermeasure headquarters until 2015. Like a heritage, he said deep cooperation and strong regulators and expenditure monitoring are key to Utah's success. The results in Utah are dramatic, but it is unknown whether they can replicate in places like Seattle. Utah is small in population, and its relationship with the Church of the Latter-day Saints is lagging behind the "housing priority" approach, so it is unique. There is still some doubt as to whether the Utah State has succeeded in reducing homelessness as in the headline.

It is also important to remember that the success of Utah is related to long-term homelessness. This is a relatively small part of the population. The federal government defines "chronic homelessness" as a situation in which people were homeless or homeless for at least a year in the past three years due to physical weaknesses. 4 times This may be a physical or mental illness, poisoning, or other problem that is difficult to maintain a permanent residence. The homeless population of Utah is increasing in recent years

According to the US Homelessness Dialogue Committee (USICH), in 2013 the national public loss of homeless loss was estimated to be between $ 370 million and $ 4.7 billion. Through the housing priority program, long-term homeless people use less hospital resources, reduce the time spent on expensive detention, and reduce emergency room visits. For example, consider the impact of permanent housing and case management on long-term homeless health, these services self-reported mental health and substance use, health management use, Reducing Medicaid medical expenses New York City and Utah states that all homeless people living in projects like First First will save taxpayers $ 10,000 and $ 8,000 a year, respectively.