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Published Online: 1 February 2017

Homeless Veterans’ Use of Peer Mentors and Effects on Costs and Utilization in VA Clinics

Jean Yoon, Ph.D., M.H.S., Jeanie Lo, M.P.H., Elizabeth Gehlert, M.P.H., Erin E. Johnson, B.A., and Thomas P. O'Toole, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 68, Number 6
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201600290
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Abstract

Objectives:

The study compared health care utilization and costs among homeless veterans randomly assigned to peer mentors or usual care and described contacts with peer mentors.

Methods:

Homeless patients at four Department of Veterans Affairs clinics were randomly assigned to a peer mentor (N=195) or to usual care (N=180). Administrative data on utilization and costs over a six-month follow-up were combined with peer mentors’ reports of patient contacts.

Results:

Most patients (87%) in the peer mentor group had at least one peer contact. Patients in this group spent the largest proportions of time discussing housing and health issues with peer mentors and had more outpatient encounters than those in usual care, although differences were not significant. No other between-group differences were found in utilization or costs.

Conclusions:

Although significant impacts of peer mentors on health care patterns or costs were not detected, some patients had frequent contact with peer mentors.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
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Cover: Ripening Pears, by Joseph Decker, circa 1884. Oil on canvas. Gift of Ann and Mark Kington/The Kington Foundation Avalon Fund. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Psychiatric Services
Volume 68 • Number 6 • June 01, 2017
Pages: 628 - 631
PubMed: 28142391

History

Received: 24 June 2016
Revision received: 19 August 2016
Accepted: 23 September 2016
Published online: 1 February 2017
Published in print: June 01, 2017

Keywords

  1. Homeless mentally ill
  2. Homelessness
  3. Primary care
  4. service delivery
  5. Peer support

Authors

Details

Jean Yoon, Ph.D., M.H.S.
Dr. Yoon, Ms. Lo, and Ms. Gehlert are with the Health Economics Resource Center, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (e-mail: [email protected]). Dr. Yoon is also with the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Ms. Johnson and Dr. O’Toole are with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Jeanie Lo, M.P.H.
Dr. Yoon, Ms. Lo, and Ms. Gehlert are with the Health Economics Resource Center, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (e-mail: [email protected]). Dr. Yoon is also with the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Ms. Johnson and Dr. O’Toole are with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Elizabeth Gehlert, M.P.H.
Dr. Yoon, Ms. Lo, and Ms. Gehlert are with the Health Economics Resource Center, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (e-mail: [email protected]). Dr. Yoon is also with the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Ms. Johnson and Dr. O’Toole are with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Erin E. Johnson, B.A.
Dr. Yoon, Ms. Lo, and Ms. Gehlert are with the Health Economics Resource Center, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (e-mail: [email protected]). Dr. Yoon is also with the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Ms. Johnson and Dr. O’Toole are with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Thomas P. O'Toole, M.D.
Dr. Yoon, Ms. Lo, and Ms. Gehlert are with the Health Economics Resource Center, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California (e-mail: [email protected]). Dr. Yoon is also with the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Ms. Johnson and Dr. O’Toole are with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Notes

Preliminary findings from this work were presented at the AcademyHealth annual research meeting, Minneapolis, June 14–16, 2015.

Funding Information

Health Services Research and Development10.13039/100007217: SDR 11-230
The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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