Faculty Guide

Title

Scientist and Senior Lecturer

The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

Expertise

Poverty, economic security, homelessness and housing, research methods/statistics, working with large national data sets.

Profile

As IASP Research Director, Dr. Meschede manages the project "Family Financial Well-Being in the 21st Century: Strategic Positioning of Data Tools for Policy Impact" which includes analyses on Senior Long-term Financial Stability, Economic Security of the U.S. Middle Class, the Racial Wealth Gap, Asset Poverty, and evaluations of Housing Programs for Homeless Families. She has authored many IASP reports on these topics, talks frequently about her research to range of different audiences, collaborates with national partners to increase the policy impact of this work, and has been frequently cited in the media. Dr. Meschede has extensive experience in research on homelessness collaborating with Massachusetts’ state departments (DTA, DPH, DHCD) and local communities, and is the author of numerous reports and publications on homelessness. She has broad experience as project manager and principal investigator on studies on homelessness and housing, food insecurity and nutrition, the technology divide, and access to the labor market for persons with barriers. Dr. Meschede worked in Israel and Europe, and is on the faculty of the Masters in Public Affairs Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she teaches quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistics, and social policy.

Awards and Honors

Heller School Mentoring Award (2013)

Joseph P. Healey Grant, University of Massachusetts Boston (2005)

Craig Bollinger Research Grant for Doctoral Students, University of Massachusetts Boston (2003)

Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant (2003 - 2004)

The Michael S. Dukakis Internship in Public Service Scholarship Award, University of Massachusetts Boston (2001)

Award for Academic Excellence in Applied Sociology, University of Massachusetts Boston (1992)

Fulbright Scholarship (1988 - 1990)

Courses Taught

HS

367a

Working with National Data Sets to Inform Policy Analysis and Recommendations

Scholarship

Meschede, Tatjana. Medicare, A Vital Component of Economic Security for U.S. Seniors, Must Be Protected. Waltham Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University: 2012.

Meschede, Tatjana. Rapid Re-Housing and Short-Term Rental Vouchers for Homeless Families: Summary Report of a Pilot Program. Waltham Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis: 2012.

Meschede, Tatjana. "From Street Life to Housing: Consumer and Provider Perspectives on Service Delivery and Access to Housing." Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research 13. 1 (2011): 71-93.

Meschede, Tatjana. From Bad to Worse: Senior Economic Insecurity on the Rise. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.

Meschede, Tatjana. Rising Economic Insecurity Among Senior Single Women. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.

Meschede, Tatjana. The Crisis of Economic Insecurity for African-American and Latino Seniors. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2011.

Meschede, Tatjana. "Accessing Housing: Exploring the Impact of Medical and Substance AbuseServices on Housing Attainment for Chronically Homeless Street Dwellers." Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Sciences 20. 2 (2010): 153-161.

Meschede, Tatjana; Laura Sullivan and Thomas Shapiro. "Living Longer on Less: The Finanical Insecurity Among Seniors of Color." Aging Today Online 2. 2 (2010).

Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas; Sullivan, Laura; Wheary, Jennifer. Severe Financial Insecurity Among African American and Latino Seniors. Waltham and New York City Institute on Assets and Social Policy and Demos: 2010.

Shapiro, Thomas; Melvin, Oliver; Meschede, Tatjana. Research and Policy Brief: The Asset Security and Opportunity Index. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2010.

Shapiro, Thomas; Meschede, Tatjana; Sullivan, Laura. The Racial Wealth Gap Increases Fourfold. Institute on Assets and Social Policy. Waltham: 2010.

Meschede, Tatjana. Bridges and Barriers to Housing for Homeless Street Dwellers: The Impact of Health and Substance Abuse Services on Housing Attainment. Saarbruecken, Germany: VDM Publishing House, 2009.

Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas, and Wheary, Jennifer. Living Longer on Less: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2009.

Meschede, Tatjana; Shapiro, Thomas; Sullivan, Laura. "The Long-Term Economic (In) Security of Seniors." New England Community Developments. Winter 2009. 3 (2009): <http://iasp.brandeis.edu/pdfs/winterCommunityDevpts-pdf.pdf>.

Meschede, Tatjana; Sullivan, Laura, and Shapiro, Thomas. Living Longer on Less in Massachusetts: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors. Institute on Assets and Social Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University. Waltham: 2009.

Sullivan, Laura; Meschede, Tatjana; and Shapiro, Thomas. Enhancing Social Security for Low-Income Workers: Coordinating an Enhanced Minimum Benefit with Social Safety Net Provisions for Seniors. National Academy of Social Insurance. Washington DC: 2009.

Wheary, Jennifer; Meschede, Tatjana, and Shapiro, Thomas. The Downslide before the Downturn: Declining Economic Security Among Middle Class African Americans and Latinos, 2000-2006. Demos. New York City: 2009.

Friedman DH, Raymond J, Puhala K, Meschede T, Tripp J, Kala M. Preventing Homelessness and Promoting Housing Stability: A Comparative Analysis. The Boston Foundation. Boston: 2007.

Meschede, T. Staying Housed: Exploring the Role of Social Networks in Housing Tenure of Formerly Chronically Homeless Women. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2007.

Meschede, T. The First Two Years of Housing First in Quincy, Massachusetts. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2007.

Meschede, T. Moving Here Saved My Life: The Experience of Formerly Chronically Homeless Women and Men in Quincy's Housing First Projects (Interim Report). McCormack Graduate School, Unversity of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2006.

Sokol B, Meschede T, McGah J. Enhancing HMIS Data Quality. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2005.

Meschede T, Sokol B, Raymond J. Hard Numbers, Hard Time: Homeless Individuals in Massachusetts Emergency Shelters, 1999-2003.. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2004.

Meschede, T. Bridges and Barriers to Housing for Chronically Homeless Street Dwellers: The Effects of Medical and Substance Abuse Services on Housing Attainment. McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2004.

Brady S, Rierdan J, Penk W, Losardo M, Meschede T. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults with Serious Mental Illness and Substance Abuse.." Journal of Trauma and Dissociation 4. 4 (2003): 77-90.

Friedman DH, Meschede T, Hayes M. "Surviving Against the Odds: Families' Journey off Welfare and Out of Homelessness.." Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research. 6. 2 (2003): 187-206.

Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M, Friedman DH. Characteristics of Homeless Individuals Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2003.

Meschede T, Raymond J, Kahan M, Hayes M, Friedman DH. Characteristics of Homeless Families Accessing Massachusetts Emergency Shelters 1999-2001. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2003.

Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Familis Utilizing Masachusetts Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999 and 2000.. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2001.

Kahan M, Meschede T, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Utilizing Boston Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2000.

Meschede T, Kahan M, Hayes M. A Comparative Portrait of Individuals and Families Utilizing Massachusetts Emergency Shelter Programs, 1999.. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston.. Boston, MA: 2000.

Stone M, Friedman DH, Werby E, Meschede T, Hayes M, Kahan M, Santiago B, Raymond J, Ward L. Situation Critical: Meeting the Housing Needs of Lower-Income Massachusetts Residents.. McCormack Institue of Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston, MA: 2000.

Schutt RK, Meschede T, Rierdan J. "Distress, Suicidal Thoughts, and Social Support Among Homeless Adults." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 35. (1994): 134-142.