Addressing Housing Could Alleviate Public Health Expenditures in Rhode Island, According to Recent Report

A recent study by ONE Neighborhood Builders (ONE|NB) reveals that individuals who were previously homeless and now reside in permanent supportive housing have consistently lower average Medicaid-related healthcare expenditures compared to Medicaid recipients who remain homeless. Jennifer Hawkins, President and CEO of ONE|NB, emphasized the significance of affordable housing, stating that the report underscores the intersection of the housing and healthcare crises in Rhode Island. Hawkins advocates for increased efforts to transition individuals in shelters to permanent supportive housing, asserting that this approach can effectively reduce Medicaid costs. She highlights the longstanding understanding that homelessness is linked to complex and costly medical needs, reinforcing the crucial role of housing as a foundation for improved health outcomes.

Although the sample size was small, the findings do align with larger studies that explored similar populations in the U.S. There was 4 major observations noted in the report:

• Medicaid costs were 43 percent lower among Rhode Island Medicaid members who had access to ONE|NB’s permanent supportive housing compared with other Medicaid members who remained in shelters;
• Medicaid spending on hospital services and pharmaceuticals was 51 percent lower among Rhode Island Medicaid members who had access to ONE|NB’s permanent supportive housing compared with other Medicaid members who remained in shelters;
• Emergency department visits and inpatient admissions among those who had access to ONE|NB’s permanent supportive housing were nearly half that compared to other Medicaid members who remained in shelters; and
• Medicaid members who had access to permanent support housing appeared more likely to receive preventative behavioral health services than those remaining in shelter.

Learn more and read the full report HERE