FUSE is a CSH signature initiative that helps communities to identify and engage high utilizers of public systems and place them into supportive housing to break the cycle of repeated use of costly crisis services and involvement in shelters and the criminal justice system. Columbia University recently completed an evaluation of this groundbreaking initiative piloted in New York City that placed over 200 individuals into supportive housing.
And the evaluation demonstrated some major findings impacting the use of jails, shelters and crisis care services. The rigorous evaluation compared the outcomes of FUSE participants versus a comparison group. What the evaluation indicates is that supportive housing can reduce homelessness, incarceration and costs of public systems.
FUSE participants averaged just over two-weeks of shelter stays in the 24 months after placement into housing as compared to the 164 days in shelters spent by the comparison group. Overall FUSE generated a $15,000 cost offset for each participant.
Below are some graphs representing the overall findings. For details on the FUSE evaluation, check out the NYC FUSE page, read our two-page snapshot or download the entire evaluation report here.
Today, CSH presented the FUSE findings along with the CASAColumbia findings at an event with New York supportive housing providers and representatives from many city agencies. You can read the press release here and learn more about CASAColumbia here.
