A race-equity focused evaluation of the Boston Pathways low-threshold housing services program

Client: Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC)
Topic Areas: Behavioral health and substance use; Social determinants of health
Service: Participatory Evaluation

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) has hired ICH to conduct a multiyear evaluation of their Boston Pathways program, which provides low-threshold housing, access to behavioral health and substance use treatment, and other support services to chronically unsheltered people who use drugs in Boston. ICH is using an equitable evaluation framework to design and implement a mixed methods evaluation that will include a race equity analysis of housing data. The evaluation will also include qualitative interviews with people of color who have been placed at different housing sites through the program to elevate their experiences and perspectives. The overall aim is to understand the impact of Boston Pathways on race equity in housing, in order to inform program improvements as well as broader policies in Boston and beyond.