UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative

Join UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative on Thursday March 20 from 11:30 to 1PM PT to discuss Behavioral Health and Homelessness. We will be discussing our findings from the #CAHomelessnessStudy, including our soon to be released report on Behavioral Health. Great speaker lineup: ? Margot Kushel MD ? Marc Dones ? Claudine S. Destination: Home (and BHHI LEAB member) ? Stephanie Welch Deputy Director for Behavioral Health CA HHS ? Darrell Steinberg Steinberg Institute and former CA Senate Pro Tem and Mayor of Sacramento With deep appreciation to California Health Care Foundation for their support of this work! Sign up info below! Join us and spread the word.

?? New BHHI Report: Behavioral Health & Homelessness Behavioral health challenges—mental health conditions & substance use disorders—both increase the risk of homelessness and are worsened by it. Our latest report explores this relationship, barriers to treatment, and evidence-based solutions for policymakers, program leaders, CoC leaders, & service providers. ?? Key Findings: ?? 48% of people experiencing homelessness have at least one complex behavioral health need (regular drug use, heavy drinking, hallucinations, or recent psychiatric hospitalization). ?? 35% report regular drug use—42% began using regularly after becoming homeless. ?? Methamphetamine (32%) is the most common drug, followed by opioids (11%)—80% of regular opioid users also use meth. ?? 28% of regular substance users tried to access treatment but couldn’t. Many others had stopped trying after repeated barriers. ?? Those with complex behavioral health needs are more likely to experience unsheltered homelessness (89%), institutional exits (27%), and higher rates of police interactions, jail stays, and forced displacement. ?? Evidence-Based Solutions: ? Expand affordable housing ? Offer low-barrier, evidence-based treatment ? Integrate housing & behavioral health care through Permanent Supportive Housing & Assertive Community Treatment Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/gmaCq2YE Attend the webinar: https://lnkd.in/gs9hCWEt #BehavioralHealth #Homelessness #HousingFirst #PublicHealth

This National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, we’re breaking down myths about substance use and homelessness. ?? Most people experiencing homelessness don’t regularly use illicit drugs. ?? Methamphetamine, not opioids, is the most commonly used drug among those who use substances. ?? Many people try to access treatment but can’t. ?? Homelessness increases the likelihood of drug use, often as a way to cope. Expanding treatment access, reducing barriers to care, and ensuring stable housing are critical. ? Stay tuned—our new BH report drops tomorrow with recommendations for policymakers, program leaders, CoC leaders & more! ?? Learn more March 20 at our webinar! https://lnkd.in/gs9hCWEt #NationalDrugAndAlcoholFactsWeek #SubstanceUse #Homelessness #HousingFirst #JAMA

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight prevention, early detection, and treatment. But access to care isn’t the only factor affecting survival—housing status plays a critical role. Research from Hannah Decker, MD, et al.: ? Veterans who remained housed or gained housing after a colorectal cancer diagnosis had better survival rates. ? Those who were continuously unhoused or lost housing after diagnosis had worse outcomes. Why does this matter? People experiencing homelessness already face barriers to cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Without stable housing, completing treatment and managing health becomes even harder. These findings reinforce what we’ve long known—housing is healthcare. Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/gKMyFZP9 #ColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth #HousingIsHealthcare #CancerPrevention #EndHomelessness

Emergency response plans have critical gaps that leave many vulnerable during disasters. Missed alerts, lack of evacuation support, and limited shelter access put lives at risk. These failures impact many—but people experiencing homelessness are often on the front lines, with no protection from extreme heat, smoke, or displacement. Stronger emergency planning, better outreach, and expanded shelter options are essential to closing these gaps before the next crisis. https://lnkd.in/gS3ajvi2

? One week to go! How do homelessness and behavioral health challenges shape each other — and what does research show can help strengthen systems and improve outcomes? Join us on March 20 for a webinar exploring findings from our upcoming Behavioral Health Report, with reflections from experts across homelessness and behavioral health systems. Speakers include: ? Margot Kushel MD, Director, BHHI ? Marc Dones, Policy Director, BHHI (Moderator) ? Claudine S. Sipili, Lived Experience & Innovation Director, Destination Home ? Stephanie Welch, MSW: Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health, California Health & Human Services Agency ? Darrell Steinberg, JD, Founder, Steinberg Institute; Former Sacramento Mayor; Former California State Senate President Pro Tem ?? Thursday, March 20, 2025 ?? 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM PDT ?? Virtual (Zoom) ?? Register for the webinar: https://lnkd.in/gs9hCWEt ?? Want to get the Behavioral Health Report as soon as it’s released? ?? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gmcZP3jn https://lnkd.in/g879GdBu

BHHI Director Margot Kushel MD will provide an overview of how homelessness impacts people's health at tomorrow's briefing. Attend in person or via zoom! ??

“The vast majority [of people experiencing homelessness] do not want to be outside,” says BHHI Policy Director Marc Dones. Yet, no region in California has enough shelter for everyone in need. 90% of people experiencing homelessness want permanent housing. 68% of unsheltered people want shelter but can’t access it—shelters are full, don’t meet their needs, or feel unsafe. While shelter and housing remain scarce, some available beds go unused because they don’t meet people’s needs. “When a jurisdiction has underutilized space...have we looked into why people say no?” asks Dones. Are there concerns about violence? Safety? Family separation? Sometimes these are easy fixes, and then we get people saying yes and those beds fill up. Citing and arresting people doesn’t solve homelessness—it prolongs it. “When we cite people...they lose the things they need to get into housing,” says Dones. Fines pile up, belongings are lost, and access to medication is disrupted, making stability even harder. Dones breaks it down and offers research-backed solutions on Fox 2: https://buff.ly/KFhwaJW

??New reporting from CalMatters offers a detailed look at what’s happening on the ground in California cities where encampment sweeps have become routine. Eight months after the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision allowed cities to clear encampments and cite or arrest people for sleeping outside — even when no shelter is available — the challenges documented in research are becoming increasingly visible. Research shows that enforcement-based approaches, when not paired with adequate outreach, housing and services, rarely lead to lasting reductions in homelessness. Instead, these approaches often displace people, increase the risk of losing critical belongings like identification and medications, and make it harder for outreach teams to provide consistent support. Jenni Wilkens, who manages a street health program in San Diego, explained: "We always knew where we could find them. Follow-up was much, much easier. Since the camping ordinance passed... we have not been able to provide that quality follow-up care... just because everybody is moving." BHHI’s research is clear: lasting reductions in unsheltered homelessness require permanent housing, tailored outreach, and services that meet people’s needs. Without those, sweeps don’t solve homelessness — they only push it out of view. For evidence-based approaches and best practices, see BHHI’s Unsheltered Homelessness Brief and Encampment Resolution Guide: https://lnkd.in/gn4eUwte ?? Read the full CalMatters investigation: https://lnkd.in/guqBU3aZ #HomelessnessResearch #EncampmentResolution #UnshelteredHomelessness

Emergency shelters are a critical part of California’s homelessness response, providing safety and connections to care. But new reporting from CalMatters highlights troubling gaps in oversight, safety, and long-term outcomes in some programs. Our CASPEH study found many people avoid shelters due to fears of violence, theft, and unsanitary conditions — even when no other housing options are available. Older adults feel especially vulnerable in congregate shelters, with concerns about safety and managing health needs. Safe, well-run shelters play an important role, particularly for those with urgent safety needs. But without increased affordable housing, rental assistance, and targeted income supports, shelters become a revolving door — not a path to stability. As Dr. Dennis Culhane said: “The shelters are not a solution… We have every reason to believe that if we scaled up income support and provided rental assistance, we would probably see the homeless numbers cut in half.” CASPEH also found about 70% of participants said an additional $300 to $500 per month would have prevented their homelessness. Shelters matter — but permanent housing solves homelessness. Learn more: CA Homelessness: https://lnkd.in/gEm44RVT Older Adult Homelessness: https://lnkd.in/gZKTXbSW https://lnkd.in/g3vveZ-U