2026 Valliant Foundation Homeless Research Symposium
Join researchers, clinicians, students, healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders, and community partners for the Valliant Foundation’s 2026 Homeless Research Symposium. Learn about emerging research and connect with others working to improve the health and well-being of people experiencing homelessness.
Research With Purpose.
Evidence With Impact.
Advancing community-based research focused on homelessness, health disparities, healthcare access, public health, and evidence-informed outreach.
Sarah “Jeany” Valliant
Sarah “Jeany” Valliant founded the Valliant Foundation and established the Valliant Foundation Homeless Research Lab to investigate health disparities affecting people experiencing homelessness and to translate research findings into practical, community-based solutions.
Her interest in research grew from a commitment to serving underserved communities and a belief that nonprofit programs should be guided by evidence, ethical data collection, and measurable community needs. Through the lab, Jeany leads interdisciplinary projects examining issues including cardiovascular health, healthcare access, chronic disease, sexual violence, and other public health challenges affecting people experiencing homelessness.
Today, the Valliant Foundation Homeless Research Lab includes 80 research assistants who contribute to research, scholarly writing, community-based data collection, and dissemination of findings.
Institutional Review Board Registration
Valliant Foundation maintains an active Institutional Review Board registration through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections.
Ethical Review and Research Oversight
The Valliant Foundation IRB provides ethical review and oversight for applicable research involving human participants. Review may address participant protections, informed-consent procedures, privacy, confidentiality, risks, equitable participant selection, and the ethical conduct of research.
IRB registration confirms that the board is listed in the federal OHRP registration database. Registration does not itself constitute approval of a specific study, guarantee compliance for every research activity, or indicate that every Valliant Foundation project is federally supported.
Recently Published in an Elsevier Journal
Research from the Valliant Foundation is contributing to the growing evidence base on ethical, accessible, and replicable approaches to health screening during homeless outreach.
Cardiovascular Screening in Homeless Outreach: An Operationally-Ethical Protocol
This study describes an ethical and replicable framework for incorporating cardiovascular screening into community-based homeless outreach, including volunteer training, decisional-capacity assessment, informed consent, vital-sign collection, and predetermined emergency escalation procedures.
The framework was implemented during outreach involving 116 participants and demonstrates how nonprofit organizations can integrate evidence-informed health screening into field operations while prioritizing participant autonomy, safety, and ethical oversight.
Become a Research Assistant
Students and aspiring researchers interested in homelessness, medicine, public health, psychology, healthcare, and related fields are invited to explore opportunities with the Valliant Foundation Homeless Research Lab.
Join the Research Discord
Join our research community and connect with the research team. Once you join, send a message explaining which project or research topic you are most interested in contributing to.
Join the Research Discord
Tell Us Your Research Interests
Message the research team with the project you are interested in, your academic or professional background, and the types of research experience you hope to gain.
Contact the Principal Investigator
Please also text Principal Investigator Sarah “Jeany” Valliant at (650) 660-1003 to express your interest in joining the research lab.
Ready to Get Involved?
Research opportunities may involve literature review, community data collection, manuscript development, interpretation of findings, conference preparation, and other aspects of the research process.
Join Our Discord Text Jeany: (650) 660-1003Research Assistant Opportunities
Research assistants can build meaningful experience while contributing to projects designed to improve understanding of health and homelessness.
Letters of Recommendation
Highly engaged research assistants may have opportunities to request letters of recommendation for medical school, graduate school, or other professional programs.
Conference Opportunities
Research assistants may have opportunities to participate in research conferences, poster presentations, and scholarly events.
Authorship Opportunities
Research assistants who make qualifying scholarly contributions may have opportunities for authorship on manuscripts and research products.
Professional References
Consistent and meaningful participation can help research assistants build professional relationships and obtain references for future academic or professional positions.
Manuscripts in Peer Review
Valliant Foundation researchers are actively developing and submitting scholarship focused on health disparities, violence, chronic disease, and barriers to healthcare among people experiencing homelessness.
Meta-Analyses of Sexual Assault Prevalence Among Homeless Women
This project synthesizes existing evidence on sexual assault among women experiencing homelessness and examines differences across particularly vulnerable subgroups. Valliant Foundation is using this work to identify gaps in violence prevention, trauma-informed screening, and community intervention strategies that may better serve women experiencing homelessness.
The project is innovative because it moves beyond individual studies to systematically evaluate variation in reported prevalence and risk across populations, helping researchers and public health organizations identify where targeted interventions and future research are most urgently needed.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors Identified Among Homeless Adults in San Francisco: Recommendations for Evidence-Based Outreach Services From a Quality Improvement Initiative
This work examines cardiovascular and chronic-health risk factors observed during Valliant Foundation outreach in San Francisco and considers how those findings can guide medical referrals, health education, emergency response, and nonprofit resource allocation for people experiencing homelessness.
Its innovative approach connects real-world community needs assessment with operational decision-making, allowing health information collected in outreach settings to help organizations prioritize evidence-informed services.
A Systematic Review of Type 1 Diabetes Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness
This systematic review examines the unique challenges that people experiencing homelessness with Type 1 Diabetes face in maintaining access to insulin, glucose monitoring, appropriate food, medication storage, and continuity of medical care. Valliant Foundation is using this research to better understand barriers that community organizations and healthcare systems must address when supporting individuals managing a life-threatening chronic illness without stable housing.
The project brings together fragmented literature on an understudied intersection of homelessness and Type 1 Diabetes, helping identify opportunities for more responsive outreach, healthcare coordination, and chronic-disease support models.
How Research Assistants Contribute
Research assistants are an important part of the Valliant Foundation research process. Depending on the project and level of involvement, research assistants may contribute throughout multiple stages of a study.
Conference Presentations
Valliant Foundation research has been presented at academic and research conferences across California, sharing findings with students, researchers, clinicians, and academic communities.
University of California, Los Angeles
Presented findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the prevalence and risk factors associated with sexual assault among women experiencing homelessness, including subgroup analyses involving disability status, mental illness, and LGBTQ+ populations.
View UCLA Symposium Abstract Book →University of California, Davis School of Medicine
Presented literature review findings regarding barriers to insulin access, glucose monitoring, chronic disease management, and continuity of care among individuals experiencing homelessness with Type 1 Diabetes.
The presentation examined implications for public health outreach and strategies designed to improve continuity of care for this medically vulnerable population.
Sonoma State University
Presented cardiovascular screening findings from community-based outreach initiatives serving people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.
The presentation discussed evidence-informed recommendations for nonprofit outreach programs and public health intervention models designed to respond to cardiovascular and chronic health risks.
San Francisco State University
Developed and presented a proposed research protocol examining relationships between perceived stress and physiological markers of stress among people experiencing homelessness, including the proposed methodology, theoretical framework, and participant recruitment strategy.
This study was presented as a research proposal but was not ultimately completed because of logistical constraints.
Join the Valliant Foundation Research Community
Work alongside a growing team of research assistants committed to producing meaningful scholarship and advancing evidence-based approaches to homelessness and public health.
