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Project Description

This study offers an in-depth examination of the problems faced by families with multiple barriers to self sufficiency and the progress made by these families throughout their participation in the Family in Transitions of Santa Cruz County (FIT). Families in Transition of Santa Cruz County, Inc. (FIT) was founded in 1992 to provide transitional, scattered-site rental assistance and comprehensive case management services to homeless families in Santa Cruz County, California. Through extensive partnerships with government and community agencies, FIT works to provide families with the resources needed to obtain stable housing and achieve self-sufficiency.

The study utilizes data from two main sources: (1) qualitative data from interviews with program staff and clients collected over three years from 1998-2000; and (2) data from FIT's client database and tracking system. FIT case managers collect baseline information on a number of family and individual characteristics, including demographic information, issues that prevent clients from becoming self-sufficient, and the intensity of those barriers to self-sufficiency.

Project duration: Dec 1997 - Nov 2003

Sites studied include Santa Cruz County, California

Sample Characteristics and Sites Studied

Samples from Families in the FIT Caseload.
Policy Brief #1: Recipients entering FIT between Dec 1997 and Nov 2000, Program entrants n=430, Exiters: n=213.
Policy Brief #2: Recipients entering FIT between March 1998 and Sept 2001, Program entrants:605, Exiters: n=307 (Graduates: n=129, Non-graduating leavers:178).

Recent Findings in Brief

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