Culhane, Dennis
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Email Address
ORCID
Disciplines
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Urban Studies and Planning
Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Urban Studies and Planning
Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Position
The Dana and Andrew Stone Chair in Social Policy
Introduction
Dr. Culhane’s primary area of research is homelessness and assisted housing policy. His most recent research has focused on the premature aging of the adult homeless population on service systems use and costs.
Dr. Culhane co-directs the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy initiative, a MacArthur-initiated network to promote the development of integrated database systems (IDS) by states and localities for policy analysis and systems reform. Funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation is supporting a training and technical assistance effort for states and local governments working toward the implementation of an IDS.
Research Interests
Homelessness, Housing Policy
Integrated Administrative Data Systems for Policy Research
Policy Analysis Research Methods
Policy and Program Design
Spatial Analysis and Geographic Information Systems
Integrated Administrative Data Systems for Policy Research
Policy Analysis Research Methods
Policy and Program Design
Spatial Analysis and Geographic Information Systems
12 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 12
Publication Where Homeless Families Come From: Toward a Prevention-Oriented Approach in Washington, DC(1997-11-01) Culhane, Dennis P; Lee, Chang-MooThe District of Columbia shelter system currently operates on a continuum of care model that assumes all or most people with housing emergencies should enter shelters and move progressively through a series of fully subsidized residential programs, then on to independence. The federal government encouraged the development of this model, and it is one that predominates nationally. This approach, however, is inflexible and has relatively high fixed unit costs because it assumes that all homeless people, regardless of the nature of their housing emergency, should enter a system of supervised residential programs. In fact, not all segments of the homeless population require the extensive social services necessary to help chronically homeless persons. States and localities recognize that not everyone should enter the shelter system, and have increasingly looked to alternative methods to divert families and individuals from shelters. Typically they combine rigorous needs assessment with emergency housing assistance-such as time-limited rent subsidies, rent arrears assistance, relocation grants, utility assistance, or loans and often supplement such financial assistance with case management and/or referral to community programs. Homelessness prevention programs target the nearly homeless - those who with assistance can overcome an acute housing crisis and avoid a shelter stay - and generally are delivered in a neighborhood context. Unfortunately, federal funds for homelessness cannot currently be used for such activity.Publication The Age Structure of Contemporary Homelessness: Risk Period or Cohort Effect?(2010-06-01) Culhane, Dennis P; Metraux, Stephen; Bainbridge, JayThis paper assesses the age composition of the sheltered homeless population and how the age of this population – both single adults and adults in families – have changed over the past two decades. Data for this study came from administrative records on shelter use in New York City and from the nationwide shelter and general population enumerations in each of the last two decennial census enumerations. Results are presented in a series of figures to illustrate 1) the changes in the age distributions of the homeless population over time; and 2) the age distribution of homeless populations compared to other populations. In the late 1980s, homeless single adults and adults in families were relatively young, with the median age for both being in the late-twenties. Subsequently, however, these household types appear to have diverged, as the birth cohort from which the young single adults had come (born 1954-1965) has continued to be overrepresented in the shelter population, whereas homelessness among adults in families has remained linked to households in the early parenting years (ages 18-23). While the families and the single adults may have experienced some common precipitating factors that led to the emergence of homelessness in the 1980s, the young mothers appear to age out of their risk for homelessness while homelessness among this birth cohort of single adults sustains. Hypotheses are discussed regarding the social and economic factors that may be associated with disproportionate housing instability and homelessness among adults from the latter half of the baby boom cohort. Implications for public policy are considered, including the premature risk of disability, frailty and mortality associated with this cohort.Publication Homelessness and Child Welfare Services in New York City: Exploring Trends and Opportunites for Improving Outcomes for Children and Youth(2007-01-01) Culhane, Dennis P; Park, Jung MinFor over a decade, national research has shown that many disadvantaged youth and families experience both homelessness and involvement in child welfare services. However, prior to the research summarized here, no population-based research had examined systematically the extent and dynamics by which children and youth experience both of these service systems. This white paper for the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS) provides a summary of three studies that looked carefully at how these two important social welfare systems have shared a population, and how our improved understanding of these intersecting systems of care can promote better outcomes and improved quality of life for children and youth.Publication Ending Chronic Homelessness: Cost-Effective Opportunities for Interagency Collaboration(2010-03-01) Culhane, Dennis P; Byrne, ThomasFaced with a difficult economic climate with high levels of unemployment and widespread home foreclosures, the Administration of President Barack Obama has created a unique opportunity to rethink and redirect fundamental policies and practices ranging from health care to regulation of the financial industry. A similar opportunity exists to change Federal homeless assistance policies and programs.Publication Connecting the Dots: The Promise of Integrated Data Systems for Policy Analysis and Systems Reform(2010-03-22) Culhane, Dennis P; Fantuzzo, John; Rouse, Heather L; Tam, Vicky; Lukens, JonathanThis article explores the use of integrated administrative data systems in support of policy reform through interagency collaboration and research. The legal, ethical, scientific and economic challenges of interagency data sharing are examined. A survey of eight integrated data systems, including states, local governments and university-based efforts, explores how the developers have addressed these challenges. Some exemplary uses of the systems are provided to illustrate the range, usefulness and import of these systems for policy and program reform. Recommendations are offered for the broader adoption of these systems and for their expanded use by various stakeholders.Publication An Assessment of the Housing Needs of Persons with HIV/AIDS: New York City Eligible Metropolitan Statistica Area, Final Report(2004-01-01) Shubert, Virginia; Botein, Hillary; Wagner, Suzanne; Poulin, Stephen R; Culhane, Dennis PThis report is the final deliverable of a study of the housing needs of persons with HIV/AIDS in the New York City Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area that was commissioned in 2001 by the New York City Mayor’s Office of AIDS Policy Coordination under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. The Hudson Planning Group (HPG) and a team of professionals including the University of Pennsylvania Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, the Center for Urban Community Services, and Public Sector Research was selected to perform the assessment under the direction of the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health (PCMH), as the City’s Master Contractor, and with the help of an Advisory Group composed of consumers, service providers, government representatives and experts in health and housing policy. The release of the report has been delayed close to a year beyond its due date. The assessment was scheduled to take two years and to be completed in the fall of 2003, in accordance with the terms of an agreement between HPG and the PCMH. HPG submitted a complete draft of the report to the York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS in February 2004. Review and comment by City agencies and HPG’s revisions to the draft took an extended time and the final report is being released in November 2004. Accordingly, data in the report are current as of December 2003, with the exception of a few cases where it is noted that more recent data were provided at the request of a City agency reviewing the report.Publication A Data-driven Re-design of Housing Supports and Services for Aging Adults Who Experience Homelessness In Los Angeles(2019-01-15) Culhane, DennisThis report examines health services use and population dynamics among the aging homeless population in Los Angeles. Evidence suggests that adverse health outcomes lead to homelessness, and the conditions related to homelessness lead to or exacerbate a range of health problems (Hwang, 2001). In addition, the barriers to accessing preventative and primary care while homeless lead to receipt of healthcare only when morbidities are more acute, (Reid, Vittinghoff, & Kushel, 2008; Kushel, Gupta, Gee, & Haas, 2006; Lim, Andersen, Leake, Cunningham, & Gelberg, 2002) meaning that there is a disproportionate use of inpatient hospitalization and other costly medical and behavioral health services among persons experiencing homelessness (Doran et al., 2013; Hwang, Weaver, Aubry, & Hoch, 2011; Kushel, Perry, Bangsberg, Clark, & Moss, 2002; Salit, Kuhm & Hartz, 1998). As a result, homelessness is expensive for healthcare systems and for society as a whole (Latimer et al., 2017; Flaming, Burns, & Matsunaga, 2009; Culhane, 2008). Given this, interest in using healthcare systems as a platform to address homelessness has grown in recent years. Strategies include efforts to identify homeless patients in healthcare settings in order to link them with housing and social services (Garg, Toy, Tripodis, Silverstein, & Freeman, 2015; Gottlieb, Hessler, Long, Amaya, & Adler, 2014); the creation of accountable care organizations that seek to coordinate healthcare and social services for persons experiencing housing instability (Mahadevan & Houston, 2015); and the development of new financing mechanisms geared towards using healthcare dollars to support housing stability (Burt, Wilkins, & Locke, 2014).Publication The Emerging Crisis of Aged Homelessness: Could Housing Solutions Be Funded from Avoidance of Excess Shelter, Hospital and Nursing Home Costs?(2019-01-20) Culhane, DennisThe population of individuals who are homeless and elderly is expected to nearly triple over the next decade. The projected upturn of the aging homeless population—concentrated among those born between 1955 – 1966—will also lead to a surge of cost increases associated with health care and shelter needs. The multi-site study includes Boston, New York City, and Los Angeles County, but is indicative of growth that is expected to take place across the country. More specifically, the national population of people 65 or older experiencing homelessness is estimated to grow from 40,000 today to 106,000 by 2030. The predicted spike is based on projections from 30 years of existing census data, and local HMIS data in the three cities. A number of housing interventions—including permanent supportive housing, shallow subsidies, and rapid re-housing—could reduce excess use of hospitals, shelters and nursing homes, with the offsets covering the costs of the housing interventions.Publication A Data-driven Re-design of Housing Supports and Services for Aging Adults Who Experience Homelessness In New York City(2019-01-15) Culhane, DennisThis report examines health services use and population dynamics among the aging homeless population in New York City. Evidence suggests that adverse health outcomes lead to homelessness, and the conditions related to homelessness lead to or exacerbate a range of health problems (Hwang, 2001). In addition, the barriers to accessing preventative and primary care while homeless lead to receipt of healthcare only when morbidities are more acute, (Reid, Vittinghoff, & Kushel, 2008; Kushel, Gupta, Gee, & Haas, 2006; Lim, Andersen, Leake, Cunningham, & Gelberg, 2002) meaning that there is a disproportionate use of inpatient hospitalization and other costly medical and behavioral health services among persons experiencing homelessness (Doran et al., 2013; Hwang, Weaver, Aubry, & Hoch, 2011; Kushel, Perry, Bangsberg, Clark, & Moss, 2002; Salit, Kuhm & Hartz, 1998). As a result, homelessness is expensive for healthcare systems and for society as a whole (Latimer et al., 2017; Flaming, Burns, & Matsunaga, 2009; Culhane, 2008). Given this, interest in using healthcare systems as a platform to address homelessness has grown in recent years. Strategies include efforts to identify homeless patients in healthcare settings in order to link them with housing and social services (Garg, Toy, Tripodis, Silverstein, & Freeman, 2015; Gottlieb, Hessler, Long, Amaya, & Adler, 2014); the creation of accountable care organizations that seek to coordinate healthcare and social services for persons experiencing housing instability (Mahadevan & Houston, 2015); and the development of new financing mechanisms geared towards using healthcare dollars to support housing stability (Burt, Wilkins, & Locke, 2014).Publication Understanding the Dynamic Process of Older Adult Behavior Changes for Disaster Preparedness: An Application of the Integrated Transtheoretical Model with Social Cognitive Theory and Protection Motivation Theory(2024-09-30) Ma, Chenyi; Culhane, Dennis; Bachman, Sara S.Integrating the Transtheoretical Model with Social Cognitive Theory and Protection Motivation Theory, we propose a new model to study the progress of behavior changes towards disaster preparedness along three developmental stages: from “not prepared” (NP), to “intention to prepare” (IP), to “already prepared” (AP). Using the 2021 National Household Survey data (FEMA, N = 6,180), we tested this model by employing a series of nested weighted generalized ordered logistic regressions. We found that, although Hispanics have a larger prevalence of IP than their non-Hispanic white counterparts, they are less likely to move to the AP stage. The observed ethnicdisparity is largely due to the disparities in actual behavioral capabilities in essential knowledge and access to resources between the two groups. Personal disaster experience, social/observational learning, self-efficacy, and risk perception each facilitate behavior changes from the NP to IP or AP stage (i.e., departure from NP stage) and from NP or IP stage to AP stage (i.e., arrival at AP stage). Although income does not necessarily influence one’s decision to depart from the NP stage, it determines one’s arrival at the AP stage. Increasing one’s income further boosts the realization of AP for people with high-risk perceptions. However, for people with moderate or low levels of risk perceptions, increased income did not lead to arrival at the AP stage. Additional research is needed to more fully apply this processoriented approach with new measurement introduced in this paper to study the behavior changes among subpopulations in exposure to specific hazards.