Posted 3/19/2008

Program emphasizes permanent homes,
rather than temporary shelters

An Arnold School doctoral candidate is heading a $1.2 million program to help homeless people in the Columbia area obtain permanent housing.

David Parker, who is seeking a Ph.D. in epidemiology, will manage Housing First, a program that will place 25 homeless people into apartments and homes in the city of Columbia.

David Parker

Housing First, implemented in cities throughout the United States, differs from many programs for the homeless because of its emphasis on providing people with permanent housing, rather than temporary placement in shelters, and supportive services, including counseling, transportation, employment placement and legal services.

"The City of Columbia is pleased that the department of medicine at the University of South Carolina’s medical school was chosen to implement the city’s pilot Housing First program," said Columbia Mayor Bob Coble.

"We have worked with the department of medicine on other projects and have respect for the department’s professionalism and abilities," he said. "We look forward to a successful Housing First program that will not only benefit those served in the program, but will benefit the larger Columbia community."

University of South Carolina President Andrew Sorensen said Housing First is a comprehensive approach to helping the homeless and involves more than giving people a place to live. "The grant to our university's School of Medicine will ensure that people have a wide range of services and support," he said. "With its counseling, healthcare and case-management expertise, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine is in an excellent position to make a difference in the lives of these individuals and, as Mayor Coble has stressed, the community."

Parker, who is director of Supportive Housing Services at the university’s medical school, said Columbia is the first Housing First program to have a medical school coordinate services for the clients.

As the lead agency, Supportive Housing Services will provide care and coordination. The Housing Authority brings years of experience in housing management to the program, with an established reputation for excellent programs, he said.