Uncounted and Underserved: Housing Data and Programs Overlook Pregnant and Parenting Families.

BACKGROUND

Experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness while pregnant is associated with an array of adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. This study aims to describe how the federal and Illinois housing landscapes prioritize, fund, and collect data on pregnant and postpartum people.

METHODS

Homelessness and housing programs and services were identified through a scan and consolidation of various housing programs and services in Illinois. The homelessness and housing programs and services were organized by primary funder and then examined to determine how they prioritize, serve, and collect data on pregnant and postpartum people and families.

RESULTS

Findings suggest that both federal and state funded and monitored housing programs do not prioritize pregnant and postpartum people and families, mostly do not have specific services for pregnant and postpartum people and families, and do not systemically collect data on pregnant and postpartum people and families.

DISCUSSION: The Federal housing landscape does not currently service, prioritize, or collect data on pregnant and postpartum families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Illinois serves as an example of how the Federal landscape impacts a state's housing landscape in not being organized to support and collect data on pregnant and postpartum families. However, there are several national and state data and policy opportunities to start to meet the needs of this population.