An innovative approach to serving the needs of IPV survivors: description of a CDC-Funded study examining the Volunteers of America Home Free rent assistance program.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to describe a CDC-funded study examining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Volunteers of America Home Free program, an innovative program that offers survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) permanent housing rent assistance coupled with client-centered advocacy. We briefly discuss the challenges and barriers faced by women who try to separate from abusive partners and who have an immediate need for housing, describe the innovative approach to service provision adopted by the Volunteers of America Home Free program in Portland, Oregon, and describe the CDC-funded cooperative agreement to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this approach with the usual housing services available to women fleeing abusive relationships.