Program Evaluation

Wisconsin's Domestic Violence Housing First Pilot Program

Safe and secure housing remains a significant barrier for families attempting to escape domestic violence (DV). While emergency shelters are a common and historically important service mechanism, they are often at capacity and spaces are extremely limited. Housing has also become increasingly critical with the rising cost of living and recent affordable housing shortage.

One newer model of service provision that attempts to address the housing insecurity faced by DV survivors is Housing First (HF). Originally developed to address the need for safe and stable housing among homeless community members, service providers adopting HF for DV survivors (DVHF) use trauma-informed care practices to enhance emotional safety, mobile advocacy approaches to meet survivors where they are, community engagement to increase partnerships with housing providers, and flexible financial assistance (FFA). The latter refers to financial support designed to reduce any barriers faced by the survivor in acquiring safe and stable housing including payment of rent or rental arrears, moving expenses, security deposits, childcare, utility and medical bills, transportation costs, and home safety systems, among others.

To enhance our understanding DVHF and its impact, we are conducting an evaluation the Wisconsin Domestic Violence Housing First Pilot Program (WI-DVHF), which is being implemented in nine organizations across Wisconsin. Our evaluation involves tracking outcomes for not only DV survivors but also the participating pilot organizations and the broader communities in which they exist.

Collaborators: Dr. Kate Walsh, Dr. Kaitlyn Sims, and Makenzie Peake