Comparing Currently with Formerly Homeless Clients and Other Service Users ¹

• Fifty-four percent of NSHAPC clients are homeless, 22 percent are formerly homeless, and 24 percent are other service users who have never been homeless.

• Men and women figure very differently in the three subpopulations of clients. Men comprise 68 percent of currently homeless clients compared with 54 percent of formerly homeless clients. Among other service users, 39 percent are men.

• There are no significant racial differences between currently and formerly homeless clients. Equivalent proportions are white non-Hispanic (41 and 46 percent), black non-Hispanic (40 and 41 percent), Hispanic (11 and 9 percent), Native American (8 and 2 percent) and other races (1 and 2 percent). Among other service users, 54 percent are white non-Hispanic, 41 percent are black non-Hispanic, 11 percent are Hispanic, and 1 percent each are Native American and other races.

• Young clients (ages 17 to 24) make up a greater share of currently than formerly homeless clients (12 versus 6 percent). The age group of 25- to 34-year-olds is also more common among currently than formerly homeless clients (25 versus 16 percent). The opposite is true as age increases; 45- to 54-year-olds as well as those ages 55 and older are more numerous among formerly than currently homeless clients.

• Currently homeless clients are more likely than formerly homeless clients to report needing help finding a job (42 versus 30 percent), help finding affordable housing (38 versus 21 percent), and assistance with rent, mortgage, or utilities for securing permanent housing. Formerly homeless clients are more likely than currently homeless clients to report needing help to obtain food (32 versus 17 percent). Among other service users, help obtaining food and help with other issues are their most important needs.

• Currently and formerly homeless clients are more than twice as likely as poor U.S. households who are not homeless to say they sometimes or often do not get enough to eat (28 and 25 percent versus 12 percent). Other service users do not differ on this dimension from nonhomeless poor clients (16 versus 12 percent).

• Currently and formerly homeless clients are alike in their reported level of acute infectious conditions (26 and 28 percent) and acute noninfectious conditions (8 and 6 percent). However, formerly homeless clients have more chronic health conditions than do currently homeless clients (62 versus 46 percent). Other service users are quite likely to report chronic health conditions (67 percent).

• Over half (55 percent) of currently homeless clients have no health insurance, compared with 32 percent of formerly homeless clients. More formerly homeless clients than currently homeless clients receive Medicaid (53 versus 30 percent). Forty-three percent of other service users receive Medicaid, 28 percent have "other" insurance, and 31 percent have no insurance.

• In general, currently homeless clients have higher rates than formerly homeless clients of alcohol and drug problems in the past month, past year, and lifetime. Currently and formerly homeless clients report similar rates of mental health problems regardless of time period. As the time period increases, the proportion of clients reporting problems in these areas increases. Other service users have the lowest rates of any group, for every time period.

• More currently than formerly homeless clients report having spent time in a state or federal prison (18 versus 9 percent) or in juvenile detention before they reached the age of 18 (16 versus 9 percent). Four percent of other service users had spent time in either venue.

• Twenty-five percent of currently homeless clients began drinking before age 15, and 18 percent first started using drugs at this young age. Both of these rates are higher than those for formerly homeless clients (19 percent for drinking and 13 percent for using drugs). Six percent of other service users started drinking before age 15, and 4 percent started using drugs before that age.

• Twenty-five percent of currently homeless clients report being physically and/or sexually abused by a household member before reaching their 18th birthday. Their rate of childhood abuse is similar to that of formerly homeless clients (at 22 percent). Other service users report an abuse rate of 6 percent before reaching the age of 18.

• More currently than formerly homeless clients (27 and 19 percent, respectively) were placed in foster care, a group home, or other out-of-home placement. Similar proportions of both groups had been forced to leave home for more than 24 hours (22 and 19 percent, respectively). The two groups differ in the proportion who had run away from home for more than 24 hours (33 versus 27 percent) and had a homeless experience before the age of 18 (21 versus 12 percent).

• Currently homeless clients are the poorest. Their mean income during the last 30 days is $367, compared with a mean income of $469 among formerly homeless clients during the past 30 days. These figures are significantly lower than the 1996 federal poverty level of $680 a month for a single person. Other service users also have a mean income, at $575 during the last 30 days, that indicates that even other service users are very poor.

• Food stamps are the most common type of government benefit for currently and formerly homeless clients, but formerly homeless clients are more likely than currently homeless clients to receive them (48 versus 37 percent). Currently homeless clients are less likely than formerly homeless clients to receive SSI (11 versus 29 percent) and General Assistance (9 versus 16 percent). Food stamps (at 37 percent), Social Security (at 33 percent), and General Assistance (at 26 percent) are the most common income sources for other service users.

• Currently homeless clients are more likely than formerly homeless clients to have had only one homeless episode (49 versus 40 percent). No difference exists in the proportion of currently and formerly homeless clients who have been homeless four or more times (21 to 22 percent).

• Currently homeless clients are more likely than formerly homeless clients to have been interviewed in central cities (71 versus 64 percent), and less likely to have been interviewed in rural areas (9 versus 19 percent). Other service users are equally likely to have been interviewed in rural areas (40 percent) and central cities (39 percent).

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