Enumerating Homeless Persons

Enumerating Homeless Persons

=WENT RESUME ED 332 076 CG 023 333 AUTHOR Taeuber, Cynthia N., Ed. TITLE Enumeratin Homeless Persona: Methods and Data Needs. Conference ProceedingsNovember 1990 . INSTITUTION Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, Md.; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C.; Interagency Council on the Homeless. PUB DATE Mar 91 NOTE 223p. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Census Figures; Evaluation; Evaluation Methods; *Homeless People; *Incidence ABSTRACT This document contains these presentations from the Enumerating Homeless Persons conference: (1) "Conference Welcome" (Pat Carlile); (2) "Conference Objectives" (Charles Jones); (3) "Deciding Where We Are" (Barbara Everitt Bryant, Cynthia M. Taeuber, and Tom Jones); (4) "judging Where We Are Going and How to Do It" (Anna Kondratas); (5) "Facl 4tator Remarks" (Susan Miskura); (6) "Federal Data Collection Needs and Requirementi2" (Chris Walker); (7) "What to Look for in Studies Tr...t Try to Count the Homeless" (Martha R. Burt); (8) "Overview of Seven Studies" (Martha R. Burt and Cynthia M. Taeuber); (9) "National Survey of Shelters for the Homeless" (Garret Moran, David Marker, Alexa Fraser, Sharon Beausejour, and Janice Machado); (10) "Counting the Nation's Homeless Population in the 1990 Census" (Cynthia M. Tseuber and Paul Siegel); (11) "Assessments of the 1990 S-Night Census Operation and Overview of the Experimental S-Day Method" (Laurel Schwede, Matt Salo, and Pamela Campanelli); (12) "Developing the Estimate of 500,000 to 600,000 Homeless People in the United States in 1987" (Martha R. Burt); (13) "The Nashville Method" (Barrett A. Lee); (14) "Lessons from the 1985-1986 Chicago Homeless Study" (Peter H. Rossi); (15) "Estimation of the Number of Homeless and Mentally In Persons in Three California Counties" (M. Audrey Burnam); (16) "Techniques for Estimating the Size of the Homeless Population in Colorado" (Franklin J. James); (17) "The RTI Method: Sampling Over Time" (Michael Dennis, Ronaldo Iachan, Jutta Thornberry, and Robert Bray); (18) "Biases Arising from Choice of Site and Informant" (Kim Hopper); (19) "Biases Arising from Choice of Site and Informant: Who is Missed" (Pamela Fischer); (20) "Estimates of the Homeless in Houston, Texas" (Donald J. Baumann); (21) "Biases from Choice of Site and Informant" (George J. McCall); (22) "The Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders" (William R. Breakey); (23) "Issues in the Selection of Measures" (Elmer L. Streuning); (24) "Sampling Issues in Estimating the Extent of Alcohol, Drug Abuser and Mental Illness Problems" (Michael Dennis and Ronald Iachan); (25) "Discussant Comments" (Howard H. Goldman); and (26) "Counting the Homeless: What Counts?" (David S. Cordray). The final section contains work gtcup reports on technical topics, such as sampling; definitions; validity, feasibility, and cost effectiveness; estimating undercounts; longitudinal studies; and methods to estimate the "at-risk" population. (LLL) Conference Proceedings for Enumerating Homeless Persons: Methods and Data 1"P eds it I Cosponsor ed by Bureau of the Census U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Interagency Council on the Homeless u S DEPARTMENT Of EaucaTION xf,e E ducathanal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RE SOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICt /Tms document hes been reproduced as recewed nom the person or orgentratiOn OflgrnatIng Mtnor char.-jet Nevi, Men nIG tO ImOlOwe reProduchon queMy PonteOfviewoollt*6enUvIOCtt ?hem do not necessenhr represent °Mehra OEM oos,hon or Whey U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration BUKEMJ OF 'ME CENSUS BEST cOPY A2VAILABLE Acknowledgments Valuable contributions were made in planning and executing this conference by staff from the co-sponsoring agencies, the Bureau of the Census, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Interagency Council on the Homeless, and the Urban Institute. Staff from the National Institute of Mental Health developed a session and Fannie Mae provided funding for the participation of some participants. Key staff who participated in major aspects included the following: BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Catherine Hines Tom Jones Catherine Keeley Charles Moore Cynthia Taeuber Annetta Clark DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Mark Johnson Michael Roanhouse INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON THE HOMELESS Marsha Henderson URBAN INSTITUTE Martha Burt Amina Elmi Robin Ross Chris Walker NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH Ron Manderschied Roger Straw FANNIE MAE James Carr Steven Hornburg Patrick Simmons The staff of Administrative and Publications Services Division,Waiter C. Odom, Chief, provided publication planning, design, composition, and printing planning and procurement. Gloria T. Davis, Chief, Electronic Composition Section, and herstaff coordinated the publication. Issued March 1991 Conference Proceedings for Enumerating Homeless Persons: Methods and Data Needs Cosponsored by Bureau of the Census U.S. .Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment Interagency Councilon the Homeless Edited by Cynthia M. Taeuber 1r11 14 01; Item US. Department of Commerce Robert A. Mosbacher, Secretary Rockwell A. Schnabel, Deputy Secretary Economics and Statistics Administration Michael R. Derby, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs and Administrator BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Barbara Everitt Bryant, Director Economics and Statistics BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Administration Barbara Everitt Bryant, Director Micheal R. Derby, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs and Administrator C.L. Kincennon, Deputy Director William P. Butz, Associate Director for Demographic Programs POPULATION DNISION Paula J. Schneider, Chief Contents Page Introduction Cynthia M. Taeuber 1 SESSION I: INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS Conference Welcome Pat Carlile 7 Conference Objectives Charles Jones 8 Deciding Where We Are Barbara Everitt Bryant, Cynthia M. Taeuber,and Tom Jones 10 Judging Where We Are Going andHow To Do It Anna Kondratas 13 SESSION II: FEDERAL DATA NEEDS,NATIONAL ESTIMATES, AND HOW METHODS AFFECT THE RESULTS Facilitator Remarks Susan Miskura 15 Federal Data Collection Needs andRequirements Chris Walker 16 What to Look For in Studies That Tryto Count the Homeless Martha R. Burt 23 Overview of Seven Studies Martha R. Burt and Cynthia M. Taeuber 30 National Survey of Shelters for theHomeleu Garrett Moran, David Marker, Aiexa Fraser, Sharon Beausejour, and Janice Machado. 77 Counting the Nation's Homeless Populationin the 1990 Census Cynthia M. Taeuber and Paul Siegel 92 Assessments of the 1990 8-Night Census Operationand Overview of the Experimental S-Day Method Laurel Schwede, Matt Salo, and Pamela Campanelli 123 Developing the Estimate of 500,000to 800,000 Homeless People in the United States in 1987 Martha R. Burt 130 SESSION ESTIMATING HOMELESSNESS AT THE LOCALLEVEL The Nashville Method Barrett A. Lee 139 iv Lessons from the 191154986 Chicago Homeless Study Peter H. Rossi 147 Estimation of the Number of Homeless and Mentally III Persons in Three California Counties M. Audrey Burnam 156 Techniques for Estimating the Size of the Homeless Population In Colorado Franklin J. James 164 The RTI Method: Sampling Over Time Michael Dennis, Rona ldo !schen, Jutte Thomberry, and Robert Bray 167 SESSION IV: BIASES FROM CHOICE OF SITE AND INFORMANT Bin SOS Arising from Choice of Site and Informant Kim Hopper 171 Biases Arising from Choice of Site and informant: Who is Missed Pamela Fischer 174 Estimates of the Homeless in Houston, Texas Donald J. Baumann. 177 Biases From Choice of Site and Informant George J. McCall 179 SESSION V: PREVALENCE MEASUREMENT, AND SAMPLING ISSUES FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS The Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders William R. Breakey 181 issues In the Selection of Measures Elmer L. Streuning 185 Sampling Issues In Estimating the Extent of Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Illness Problems Michael Dennis and Ronald lachan 188 Discussant Comments Howard H. Goldman 192 SESSION VI: OVERVIEW AND WORK GROUPS Counting the Homeless: What Counts? David S. Cordray 193 Sampling issues 199 Definitional Issues 200 Validity, Fusibility and Cost Effectiveness 201 Estimating Undercounts and Examining Date Quality 204 Longitudinal Studies, Administrative Records, and Modelling Techniques 206 Methods to Estimate the "At Risk" Population 207 Conference Participants 209 vamiww=1110, Introduction Cynthia M. Umber, Bureau of the Census Abraham Lincoln was both poetic and succinct about the reason for data collection when he said, If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, ik e could better judge what to do and how to do it." He might have been quite surprised to find that his words provided the theme for a technical conference on methods of enumerating homeless persons. Method has a critical effect on results and much controversy has surrounded methods for counting homeless persons. The central purpose of the conference was to improve research methods and data collection on homeless persons to provide results reliable enough to make judgements about where we are. Those present at the conference provided valuable insights as they dissected methods already tried by a stalwart bend of early researchers, sought to integrate diverse lines of endeavor, shared new ideas, and spoke thoughtfully of challenges for future data development and research. Those who participated in the conference were researchers and policy makers In federal and state governments, university researchers who had taken part in the frontiers of research projects to count

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