Public programs like domestic violence shelters and family shelters are developed for a specific purpose, domestic violence and homelessness respectively. Analysis comparing two separate samples (n = 147 and n = 291) of single-female-headed families using either type of shelter found many more similarities than differences between the populations. Among the similarities are the rates of mental health and substance abuse problems, lifetime rates of victimization and trauma, and issues related to poverty, including difficulty paying bills and rent. These similarities suggest families at both types of shelters may have similar service needs, and families at homeless family shelters would benefit from the wider range of services provided to domestic violence clients, including attention to trauma and violence issues.
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