VA legal aid to prevent evictions and homelessness among veterans
Medical-legal partnerships to prevent evictions and homelessness among veterans
This project compares adding legal help into VA clinics versus usual care to help veterans facing eviction keep their homes and improve wellbeing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Connecticut Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11511691 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a program at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System where legal advocates work with your VA care team to handle rent disputes, negotiate with landlords, set up payment plans, or represent you in eviction court. Veterans with housing-related problems will be randomly assigned to receive the medical-legal partnership services or the usual VA care, and the study will track housing stability and mental health over time. Researchers will also interview participants about their experiences getting legal help and other services. The aim is to learn whether integrating legal help into healthcare helps veterans stay housed and improve quality of life.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Veterans receiving care at VA Connecticut who are facing rent-based evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, lease rule violations, or are otherwise at risk of homelessness are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Veterans who already have stable housing, do not have landlord disputes, receive care outside the VA Connecticut system, or require immediate emergency shelter are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help veterans avoid eviction, remain housed, and improve income and mental health.
How similar studies have performed: A prior uncontrolled two-year VA MLP project found improvements in housing, income, and mental health, and this randomized trial applies a more rigorous design.
Where this research is happening
West Haven, United States
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System — West Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosen, Marc I — VA Connecticut Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Rosen, Marc I
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.