Housing Navigator Pilot Evaluation Project

Background

This is a joint project of the Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities to promote independent, community-based living for people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) living in the state of Illinois.

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Methods

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Julie Buchanan and Shanita Jones, Illinois LEND Trainees

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Aims

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Data Collection

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Analysis

To learn about perceptions and experiences of family members of people seeking housing through Housing Navigator​

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Family member survey​

24 responses received​

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Descriptive statistics​

Thematic analysis

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Findings�Most important supports for independent living

Most important supports:

• Activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Money management
• Transportation with support
• Behavioral/mental health care

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Findings�Current services

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Most common service

• Personal Support Worker was most common service currently received.
• 77% of respondents are the PSW for their family members. 

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Findings�Barriers to independent living

Most common barriers

• Lack of affordable housing
• Insufficient income
• Lack of support services

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Analysis�Barriers

• Most barriers fall into two distinct but intersecting categories
• Each impacted by multiple systems
• Each involve multiple stakeholder groups

Systemic societal issues

Lack of affordable housing

Housing supply

Insufficient

Income

Lack of accessible housing Stigma

Systemic societal issues

Disability service system issues

Lack of support services

Direct service workforce issues

Lack of information about resources and services

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Analysis�Facilitators

62.5% very satisfied or satisfied

20.8% neutral

16.6% dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

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Analysis�Facilitators

Five factors that support success

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Analysis �Facilitators

Role of Housing Navigator

“The navigator teaches and helps others to help themselves.”

“Navigator found location after we'd been searching for years.”

Timeliness of service

“Immediate response and communication”

"We were so happy to get him placed within months of filling out the paperwork. Waitlists for CILAs are usually many many years and rarely close to family.”

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Analysis �Facilitators

I/DD support services

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“…helped establish connections to the agencies…and helped make sure it did not get lost in the shuffle…”

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“With…supports…, disabled persons can live independently which gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment.”

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Quality of life

“He is able to join in conversations and make friends there.”

“…he feels a sense of independence and pride he hasn't had before.”

Access to information

“Navigator knew what was available.”

“Having resource access which may have been unknown to the client and their family.”

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Recommendations and Implications

• Support services go hand in hand with independent living for people with I/DD.
• Demand is high.
• 5,743—Medicaid Waiver community services waiting list. (Illinois Department of Human Services PUNS snapshot (https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=141313).
• Personal support workers were the most common service received among respondents.
• 77%--Respondents who are their family member’s Personal Support Worker.
• 42%—Over the age of 60, suggesting that these family members are still working, potentially well into retirement years.

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• More research is needed to identify barriers to living a chosen life.
• Gaps in research exist due to lack of opportunities to interview people with I/DD with varying communication styles.
• Continued funding and resources are detrimental to continuing to provide these great services.

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Implications

• More research is needed to identify barriers to living a chosen life.
• Gaps in research exist due to lack of opportunities to interview people with I/DD with varying communication styles.
• Continued funding and resources are detrimental to continuing to provide these great services.

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