Objective: This study examined whether Housing First fidelity ratings correspond to program operation descriptions from administrative data and predict client outcomes.
Methods: A multisite, randomized controlled trial (At Home/Chez Soi) in five Canadian cities included two assessments of 12 programs over two years. Outcomes for 1,158 clients were measured every six months. Associations between fidelity ratings and administrative data (Spearman correlations) and participant outcomes (mixed-effects modeling) were examined.
Results: Fidelity ratings were generally good (mean ± SD=136.6 ± 10.3 out of a possible range of 38-152; 87% of maximum value). Fidelity was significantly associated with three of four measures of program operation, with correlations between .55 and .60. Greater program fidelity was associated with improvement in housing stability, community functioning, and quality of life.
Conclusions: Variation in program fidelity was associated with operations and outcomes, supporting scale validity and intervention effectiveness. These findings reinforced the value of using fidelity monitoring to conduct quality assurance and technical assistance activities.