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University of Houston launches new Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health
The University of Houston is launching a new Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health.
HOUSTON - The University of Houston is stepping up its efforts to combat housing instability across the area by launching a new university-wide research institute under UH Health.
A $5 million anonymous gift was donated to help support the project aimed at turning academic research into direct community action.
Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health program
The backstory:
According to UH, the Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health (IH3) brings together experts from healthcare, social work, public policy, law, data science, and engineering.
Founding Director Ben King explained that the institute was created after hearing from local partners who needed better data integration and ways to evaluate program effectiveness.
IH3 will partner directly with local housing providers, health organizations, and nonprofits. The initial focus builds on work already underway with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County to evaluate community programs.
Importance of program
Why you should care:
While Houston has made significant progress in reducing homelessness, a recent report found more than 3,000 people experiencing homelessness across Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties, with more than a third living without shelter.
What they're saying:
"Housing, healthcare and behavioral health services are all critical, but they can't operate in isolation," said Dr. David Buck, associate dean for community health at UH and founder of Healthcare for the Homeless–Houston. "People experiencing homelessness have unique needs and helping them requires those systems to work together. Building that coordination—and learning how to strengthen it—is where this institute can make a lasting difference."
"Housing is one of the most powerful influences on health, making this institute a natural extension of the UH Health mission," said Jonathan McCullers, vice president for health affairs at UH and dean of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. "By bringing together researchers across multiple colleges, along with clinicians and community partners, we're helping communities build stronger systems that improve both health and opportunity."
Dig deeper:
For more information, visit the UH website.
The Source: The University of Houston