Evaluation has been an integral part of the Sound Families initiative. To measure the effectiveness of service-enriched housing in helping homeless families achieve stability, evaluators from the University of Washington School of Social Work are gathered data on families’ experiences of being homeless, their progress toward self-sufficiency, and their quality of life after they leave transitional housing. In addition, the evaluation helped identify the challenges that housing and service providers faced and examined the initiative’s impact on regional strategies to end homelessness.

Although not yet completed, the final evaluation report will present data that tracked outcomes at three levels—system, organization, and client—and describe changes using case studies. The data was collected through a participatory process that involved multiple stakeholders in all stages of the evaluation, from initial planning and outcome development to interpretation of the findings.

Most recent data show positive results for at-risk families:

• 68 percent of families moved from transitional housing to permanent housing (fair market, public or subsidized housing)
  
  
• 60 percent of families increased their incomes
  
  
• 21 percent fewer families relied on aid through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program

Sound Families Evaluation Final Outcomes
The Sound Families evaluation is complete and is being compiled into a final report to be released in mid-2008. An initial look at the final data shows positive results for families transitioning out of homelessness.


Case Study Report: Summary of Findings from the Final Sound Families Evaluation
December 2007
Our latest report summarizes key findings from the final Sound Families evaluation data, including data on housing stability, income, and reliance on assistance. (967 KB PDF)

Case Study Report: How Are They Faring? Finding On 51 Families One Year After Exiting Transitional Housing Programs
January 2007
This report provides extensive data on the income, employment, quality of life, and housing stability of families after exiting the Sound Families program. (450 KB PDF)


Case Study Report: Breaking the Cycle: Serving Homeless Children In Supportive Housing Programs
January 2007
This report presents our first assessment of children whose families are enrolled in transitional housing programs. The study provides valuable data on children’s education, behavior, and services available. Data was collected through interviews and surveys of parents and transitional housing program staff. (690 KB PDF)

Case Study Report: A Closer Look at Homeless Families’ Lives During and After Supportive Transitional Housing
August 2005
This report presents our first comprehensive data on 10 case study sites including findings on families' housing following exit, income and employment, and quality of life. Families are interviewed at their entry into transitional housing programs and are subsequently interviewed at six months, at exit, and at six months and one year following exit. (2 MB PDF)
 

Preliminary Findings Report
April 2004
These preliminary findings were published at the mid-way point of the initiative to triple the number of new transitional housing units for homeless families in the Puget Sound region. This report includes information on the evaluation, the programs, the families, organization successes and challenges, and emerging project lessons. (967 KB PDF)