Working With and Understanding the Needs of Families Experiencing Homelessness
Overview
This presentation will discuss the critical issue of family homelessness. First, Dr Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi will present the rising prevalence of family homelessness and the structural inequities leading to family homelessness, including structural racism, discriminatory housing policies, evictions, housing unaffordability, and lack of housing assistance. Dr Ijadi-Maghsoodi will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on families experiencing homelessness in LA County, incorporating findings from qualitative interviews conducted with parents and youth during the pandemic. Then Dr Ijadi-Maghsoodi will present the impact of family homelessness on youth, parent, and family mental health. The presenter will share family resilience skills adapted to meet the needs of homeless-experienced families that can be applied when working with families experiencing homelessness, that have been used in a study delivering a family resilience program to homeless-experienced families. Finally, advocacy strategies will be shared for working with families experiencing homelessness and at risk for homelessness.
Learning objectives
- Summarize the prevalence of family homelessness, and the structural racism and inequities leading to family homelessness
- Describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on homeless-experienced families
- Apply family resilience skills adapted to the needs of homeless-experienced families and advocacy strategies when working with families experiencing homelessness and at risk for homelessness