Mental Health and Homelessness

Research

Community
Indicators

Community Indicators is an online community resource that shares lots of information about Spokane County; including statistics and information on our current priority.

Cast Publication

The CAST project grew out of a research study by Dr. Mary Beth Celio in 2012 that examined 7,000 third through twelfth graders in Spokane Public Schools in classes of 2008 and 2010. The study thoroughly investigated graduation rates based on factors like attendance.

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Community Needs Assessment

We conducted the 2013 Community Needs Assessment with a purpose of prioritizing the needs of the community, especially among those living in poverty and with least access to resources, and to promote collaborative opportunities to improve health and well-being in Spokane County.

View Assessment

Our Framework

View our Common Agenda regarding Mental Health and Homelessness of Kindergarten through 8th grade students.

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Gap Analysis

The steps we’ve determined are necessary to reach our goals.

There are limited initiatives currently focusing on K-8th grade students and their families that are imminently at-risk of being homeless or are doubled up (unstably housed) with another family/friends; these families do not qualify for HUD funding or housing assistance.

By stabilizing these families, we are preventing the trauma students would experience by being homeless. We define mental health in its broadest sense, not referring solely to diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Specifically, we are looking at preventing the chronic, traumatic stress experienced by homeless students. 

Strategies & Resources
Identify Gatekeepers

Identify students/families 
at-risk or doubled up
Stabilize families
Consider wrap around services (family needs)
System changes-school system working with other support systems
Focus on prevention realizing some strategies must stabilize those who are already in bad situations
Indicators of Success
Reduce K-8th grade homelessness
Decrease depression measure
Increase attendance rates
Decrease behavior issues
Improve grades
Reduce student mobility rates (1-2 years in same school)
Reduce avoidable costs to school (Transportation etc.)
Improve hope for the future
Overall Goal
Increase Graduation Rate

EWU: Student Homelessness
Research

From a Priority Spokane awarded grant.

Increase in homelessness in Spokane County from 2013-2014.
(Spokesman Review)

Percentage of homeless individuals who are children, half of which are under the age of 6.

Percentage of Spokane’s students that are homeless.
(Spokane County)

Percentage of homeless students who have experienced a violent event by the age of 12.
(familyhomelessness.org)

Percentage of parents in homeless families who haven’t received a high school diploma.
(greendoors.org)

Percentage of homeless students who graduate.
(youthcare.org)

Washington state public high school on-time graduation rate from 2011-2014.
(spokanetrends.org)

Spokane county public high school on-time graduation rate from 2011-2014.
(spokanetrends.org)

4x

Homeless students are four times more likely to get sick than other children.
(familyhomelessness.org)

2x

Homeless students are twice as likely to have learning disabilities as non-homeless children.
(familyhomelessness.org)

776

The amount of homeless students during the 2014 school year within Spokane’s Public Schools.
(District 81)

1:5

1 out of every 5 children in the US live in poverty.
(Annie Casey Foundation)

1:4

1 out of 4 homeless people are children.
(Family Promise of Spokane)

1,600,000

The number of students K-8 who will experience homelessness over a period of one year in the United States.
(greendoors.org)

More in depth research and information for our Steering Committee to access. These documents are private and password protected. Contact Ryan Oelrich for login credentials.

Steering Committee Private Access

Access Private Files