This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, tests the feasibility of an integrated system of medical, social and public health programming designed to improve outcomes for youth experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The study organizes community-engaged consensus building sessions with stakeholders from medical, social and public health systems and with youth experiencing homelessness in order to co-create strategies for system alignment, including multi-sector data integration, shared clinical practice guidelines, and co-location of health and social services for youth experiencing homelessness. Focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders are used to assess the feasibility of implementing the proposed system alignment strategies. This study is conducted by the University of Minnesota's Youth Health and Housing Lab in collaboration with the Hennepin County Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, the Minnesota Department of Health, the Hennepin Healthcare system, Minnesota Community Care, and local youth serving agencies.

Principal Investigator: 
Janna Gewirtz O'Brien, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School

Co-Investigators: 
Meghan Ford, MPH
Youth Health and Housing Lab Program Manager

Zeinab Mohamud
Research Assistant

Annie Lemieux
Project Manager

Emma McGrew
Project Manager

Project Details:

Year: 2023
Funding Amount: $100,000
Status: Active