Economic impact of faith-based residential addiction recovery for the homeless

Objective To examine the economic and fiscal impact of a faith-based long-term residential addiction recovery program for homeless men on the state and local economy. Design This descriptive study used entry, within-program, and exit data to determine the program's fiscal and economic impact. Sample The population consisted of 5,122 homeless men at an inner-city mission in Baltimore City from 2006 to 2019. Measurements To compare costs and savings at different program intervals, economists examined program data before, during, and following completion of the program. Data were analyzed using the IMPLAN input-output model. Results The study revealed that each man who participates in the residential recovery program for 1 year produces a total savings of $14,263 to state and county governments. Each man who successfully completes the program saves state and county governments over $5,000 per year post graduation. Each man who works for 1 year following graduation and reallocates his spending from illicit drugs to goods and services in the economy supports 1.5 jobs and generates over $240,000 in additional revenue and economic output. Conclusion The findings from this study support the value of this faith-based residential program in promoting economic productivity in the surrounding state and region.