About the Project

People experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to accessing and staying engaged in mental health and substance use treatment, contributing to high rates of overdose, early death, and involvement with the criminal legal system. This study partners with the Center for Diversion and Services, which connects people with behavioral health and social needs to community-based services as an alternative to arrest and incarceration. Through interviews with people with lived experience of homelessness, diversion program staff, and treatment providers, we will identify the barriers and supports that shape access to behavioral health treatment. Findings will be used to develop practical strategies to strengthen connections to treatment, improve sustained engagement in care, and reduce future criminal legal involvement among people experiencing homelessness.