Homeless Service Use and Medicaid Spending in New Jersey

The Rutgers Center for State Health Policy conducts policy analysis, research, training, facilitation, and consultation on health policy in New Jersey. 

This project links Homeless Management Information System data from 19 of New Jersey’s 21 counties to New Jersey Medicaid claims data.

Research in other states and localities has documented the correlation of homelessness and housing instability and high Medicaid costs, and this focused analysis of New Jersey data will shed light on Medicaid utilization and cost, including potentially reducible cost, among users of homeless services. The findings will help the state’s Medicaid program make decisions on spending for supportive housing and other services to improve the well-being of New Jersey’s homeless population. The project also includes an in-depth look at selected supportive housing programs to determine how their services relate to the findings of the analysis.

The overall cost of this project is being shared equally by The Nicholson Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS). DMAHS is contributing its half of the project cost through federal matching funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Learn more about the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy.