Identifying Homeless and Unstably Housed DSHS Clients in Multiple Service Systems

This report combines administrative data from multiple service systems to identify homeless and unstably housed DSHS clients. By leveraging data from the Automated Client Eligibility System (ACES) and four other data systems, we identify an additional 39,267 (or 27 percent more) homeless DSHS clients in State Fiscal Year 2010 than when ACES is used alone. Homeless clients are more likely than those in the overall DSHS client population to be African American and Native American, live in high density urban areas, have mental illness and substance abuse problems, receive medical treatment for injuries, and receive cash and/or food assistance.