New Path Community Housing: Annual Evaluation 2020

New Path Community Housing is a 40-unit, single site, Permanent Supportive Housing with a Housing First approach (PSH/Housing First) program in Ada County, Idaho. New Path’s evidence-based program is designed to address specific issues related to chronic homelessness including high utilization of emergency medical and substance dependence services, frequent contact with the criminal justice system, and compromised overall personal well-being. As program evaluator, Idaho Policy Institute oversees all evaluation activities and works closely with New Path partners to design data collection strategies, monitoring, and reporting for this program. The evaluation objectives are to:

Measure the program’s ability to meet stated goals and objectives, andInform project partners’ programmatic decisions.

This evaluation measures the impact of the Housing First model on New Path residents in four outcome categories: health, criminal justice, housing, and well-being. Key achievements in New Path’s first two years include:

A reduction in emergency services by 60% or 1,372 fewer days,Total savings/cost avoidance of $2,659,021, andAn increase in overall resident well-being.