title: Implementing peer-assisted case management to help homeless veterans with mental illness transition to independent housing.
abstract: Formerly homeless mentally ill veterans are at an important crossroads when they move from living in an institutional setting such as a shelter or supportive residential facility to independent living. We hypothesized that peer advisors, veterans with severe mental illness who had been homeless previously, graduated from a Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program, and subsequently maintained independent, stable housing could assist other veterans make a successful transition to independent living. Pilot data suggests that participants who received peer advisors were more likely to follow up with assessments than were controls. In this report, we describe a pilot peer advisor program, its implementation, and pilot data on program administration.
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network 3, Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, USA. ellen.weissman@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Ellen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: Nancy H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Covell
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kushner
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Essock
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders; D009519:New York City; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014728:Veterans