The NSHAPC study was designed to provide a nationally representative sample of homeless and other clients who use homeless assistance programs, and of the programs themselves (exhibit 1.1). There were 76 primary sampling areas³ (figure 1.1), including

• the 28 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States;

• 24 small and medium-sized metropolitan statistical areas, selected at random to be representative of geographical regions (northeast, south, midwest, west) and size; and

• 24 rural areas (groups of counties), selected at random from a sampling frame defined as the catchment areas of Community Action agencies, and representative of geographical regions. In New England, the actual areas sampled were parts of counties.

The study began by identifying and collecting information about all of the programs within each of the 76 primary sampling areas that met its definition of a homeless assistance program. Such programs had to have a focus on serving homeless people (although they did not have to serve homeless clients exclusively). They also had to offer direct service, and be within the geographical boundaries of the sampling area. In rural areas the study's definition of a program was expanded to include programs that served homeless people but may not have had this population as a focus. Sixteen types of homeless assistance programs were defined (exhibit 1.1).⁴

Data Collection Approaches

The study collected information in three ways:

Homeless assistance programs—basic description

• Telephone interviews with representatives of 6,307 service locations offering 11,983 homeless assistance programs

  • A service location is the physical location at which one or more programs operate. A homeless assistance program is a set of services offered to the same group of clients at a single location and focused on serving homeless people as an intended population (although not always the only population).

  • Program directors or other staff knowledgeable about the program(s) offered at a particular location were interviewed by telephone. Basic descriptions of all homeless assistance programs offered at that location were obtained.

Homeless assistance programs—detailed information about services

• Mail surveys from 5,694 programs

  • Surveys were completed by a staff person who knew the program and its clients well. Detailed information was collected about client needs, the extent to which these needs were met, and whether services to meet these needs were available at their own program or other programs in the community.

  • A service is any good or activity offered to clients using a program, but not qualifying on its own as a program.

Clients of homeless assistance programs

• Interviews with 4,207 clients

  • A client is someone who uses a program, whether he or she is homeless or not. Interviews were conducted with clients of any age as long as they were not accompanied by a parent or guardian.

  • In each sampling area, the study selected a sample of the programs identified through the telephone interviews, taking into consideration program type and program size. Six to eight clients were interviewed at each of approximately 700 program visits. Census Bureau staff worked with the programs selected to establish the best times and methods to select and interview clients, and methods to pay clients once interviews were completed.

  • Six to eight people were selected randomly from among all clients using the program at the time of data collection. They were interviewed in person by trained interviewers from the Census Bureau. Most interviews took place at the program location. Clients selected through outreach programs or programs operating in the evening or at night were sometimes interviewed the next day at locations arranged in advance. Every effort was made to assure privacy during the interview. Clients completing the interview received $10 for their time.

Previous

Contents

Next