Johns Hopkins study: One-time cash payments have potential to prevent youth homelessness in Oregon

New and actionable research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that one-time direct cash payments help prevent youth homelessness. In a seven-state pilot of Point Source Youth's (PSY) Targeted Housing Assistance Program (THAP), 92 percent of 345 participants did not need to enter the homelessness system within six months of receiving support.

PSY, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Connected Lane County partnered for Oregon's initial pilot, which launched in 2024. The pilot supported communities in providing needs-based cash payments and other supports to young people. In its initial phase, Oregon enrolled 56 young people in Lane County, who were at imminent risk of homelessness. They also received financial and youth-driven supportive programming. Payments averaged $3,700 and were typically dispersed within 48 hours.

The Lane County pilot's one-time cash assistance complemented an initiative - called Direct Cash Transfer (DCT+) - that provides 24 months of ongoing payments for young people who were actively experiencing homelessness at launch.

Building on the success of the initial pilot, PSY and ODHS are expanding the program so more young people can get help before a housing crisis results in homelessness. The expanded pilot includes partnering with Jackson Street Youth Services. It will focus on young people who have experienced foster care in the child welfare system and are stepping into independence. Eligible young adults from the ages of 18 to 23, who have experienced foster care and are at risk of homelessness, can be referred to Jackson Street Youth Services in areas throughout the state where services are provided. As of March 2026, the pilot began identifying eligible youth and distributing funds. At least 60 youth will receive cash support. The ODHS pilot will also partner with researchers to track outcomes and learn from participants' experiences over a six-month period.

This expansion follows promising results in Lane County with 82 percent of participants surveyed reporting that they were in stable housing after the first month.

"These findings suggest that quick, tailored cash assistance with supportive services can keep young people housed and out of shelters," said Larry Cohen, co-founder and executive director of Point Source Youth.

"Youth homelessness starts with a crisis and then becomes a long-term trauma because help arrives too late, if at all. That's why we're scaling this program immediately - expanding into 10 new communities and launching new sites to translate these findings into action to keep young people securely housed and to prevent them from experiencing homelessness - right now."

Within ODHS, the expanded pilot is supported by several programs: Youth Transitions and Family First programs in Child Welfare and the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program (YEHP) in Self-Sufficiency Programs.

"Our unique Targeted Housing Assistance Program pilot initiative fills a critical gap in our state's systems to support young adults stepping into independence," said Matthew Rasmussen, who manages ODHS' Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program (YEHP). "By collaborating, we can offer young people the stability and opportunities they need before they are forced to enter the homelessness system-while still honoring the work to support young people who are already experiencing it."

The one-time cash benefit helps young people overcome the overwhelming number of hurdles they face just to secure and maintain a safe place to live, Rasmussen said. "We are greatly encouraged that we may be able to support as many as 60 additional young people across the state this year."

Kendra Phillips, executive director of Jackson Street Youth Services, said, "We, at Jackson Street Youth Services, are honored to partner with Point Source Youth to bring the Targeted Housing Assistance Program to Oregon at a statewide scale. This model allows us to respond quickly and effectively to young people at risk of homelessness, providing the flexible support they need to stay safely housed and build stability. It represents a transformative step forward in how we prevent youth homelessness in our communities."

In PSY's initial seven-state pilot, 345 youth households across sites in Oregon, Arizona, California, Georgia, Michigan, New York and Texas, impacted a total of 623 people, including household members and dependents. Unlike most housing and homelessness programs, this program provides crucial funds and support to youth who are at imminent risk of entering homelessness, including those who are asked to leave current housing, living in an unsafe situation or facing eviction.

Point Source Youth is also expanding pilots in California, Michigan and New York, and launching new sites in Hawai'i, Maine, Maryland, North Carolina and Oklahoma. Together these states will provide a total of $3 million in direct cash payments to an estimated 1,000 young people, allowing them to obtain help before their acute crisis leads to homelessness.

With initiatives that are delivered through community-based organizations, Point Source Youth trains staff working with participants to develop individualized housing plans before funds are distributed. Supportive services, including case management, financial coaching and housing navigation, are available but optional, preserving youth autonomy and reducing barriers to access. The program is modeled after Washington state's Homelessness Prevention and Diversion Fund, which has reported strong housing outcomes at 12 months.

Resources:

Point Source Youth national press release

About the Targeted Housing Assistance Program (THAP)

About Point Source Youth

Point Source Youth is a national organization working to prevent and end youth homelessness in the U.S. Point Source Youth provides thought leadership, advocacy, technical assistance, and evaluation to scale proven interventions that can cost effectively prevent youth homelessness in the first place or provide young people with the resources they need for stable housing if they are experiencing homelessness. After 10 years of work in the field, Targeted Housing Assistance and Direct Cash Transfers, both with youth-directed support, are the interventions that are cost-effective, scalable and work. To learn more, visit https://www.pointsourceyouth.org/

About the Oregon Department of Human Services

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) works to help Oregonians achieve well-being and independence. The agency provides direct services to more than one million Oregonians a year. The Targeted Housing Assistance Program (THAP) Foster Youth Pilot is supported by three programs within ODHS: Self Sufficiency Programs' Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program and Child Welfare's Youth Transitions and Family First teams.

About Jackson Street Youth Services

Jackson Street Youth Services is a nonprofit organization based in Corvallis, Oregon -- serving Linn and Benton counties, dedicated to supporting youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Since 2001 (celebrating 25 years!), Jackson Street has provided a continuum of care including emergency shelter, transitional living, outreach and prevention services. Through trauma-informed, youth-centered programming, the organization empowers young people to build stability, develop life skills and achieve long-term self-sufficiency. Jackson Street works in partnership with community organizations to ensure every young person has access to safe housing, education and supportive services.