Developing and testing a system alignment approach to address homelessness among black fathers in Atlanta, GA

Homelessness is a profound public health crisis in the United States, elevating risks for chronic illness, mental health disorders, substance use, and family instability. Homelessness response systems remain structurally centered on maternal caregiving, routinely barring adult men, including fathers, from accessing family shelters. Functional Zero is a structural intervention that supports dynamic tracking of individuals through a by-name list and seeks to reduce the number of individuals experiencing homelessness to zero in a community. The purpose of this study was to assess Functional Zero as a systems alignment strategy to address homelessness among Black fathers in Atlanta, GA. Using a community-based participatory approach and the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework, we developed and tested a Functional Zero model with fathers, medical, social service, and public health partners from February 2023 to May 2024. We conducted interviews with these partners (n = 8) and fathers (n = 6). Rapid qualitative analysis was used to identify themes. We reviewed data from Atlanta’s Homelessness Management Information System to assess data collected about fathers and prevalence. A survey completed by coalition members (n = 8) assessed satisfaction, impact, and sustainability of a Functional Zero approach. Most fathers experiencing homelessness in Atlanta identify as Black (93%) and single (53%). Partners reported a lack of data about fathers, a limited focus on serving and documenting fathers, and the need for a coordinated system with dedicated staff. Fathers described chronic housing needs and barriers to accessing resources. Functional Zero requires transforming how systems identify and support father-led families, shifting from shelter management to prevention and rapid resolution. Policies should expand family and homelessness definitions, require father inclusion in services, and invest in cross-sector data systems tracking intersectional populations.