The purpose of this research and development work was to develop the social and healthcare services along the housing pathway for the homeless. The objective was to promote the targeting of social and healthcare services. The project was conducted within the operational environment of the organization No Fixex Abode NGO. The research and development work were carried out using an action research approach. Qualitative data was collected utilizing qualitative data acquisition method involved conducting a co-development workshop, structured as a futures workshop. As producers and developers of information, homelessness professionals involved in the activities of the No Fixex Abode NGO and people with personal experience participated in the research-based development work. The acquired data was analyzed using a data-based content analysis approach.

According to the results, homeless people need health services aimed at special groups during the housing path, as taking care of clients' affairs and promoting the situation was often seen to start with health care processes. Homeless people need a service coordinator who acts as a case manager in the client's affairs. In addition, the need for support was evident in e-services and financial management. According to the results, homeless people need multiprofessional support, as multiprofessional cooperation was seen to enable the client's comprehensive need for support, especially the mapping of psychiatric and somatic support needs, and the coordination of services at the beginning of homelessness and during the housing path.

A factor promoting the targeting of health and social services was the harmonisation of service provision and operating methods, as there are many service providers in the Housing Path services and each service provider has different operating methods. According to the results, targeting could be promoted through a long-term and permanent customer-employee relationship, as the customer should have an employee or party who guides the customer to services and takes care of the customer and their affairs. Increasing the competence and understanding of employees was also seen to promote the targeting of services in order to achieve better and more efficient treatment outcomes by increasing understanding of the behaviour and actions of those living on the margins.

Research-based development work can be utilised in social and health service communities and in various development contexts of public and private service providers that aim to target services at homeless people. In the results, the need for further development is evident in health services in promoting the targeting of specialised medical care and primary health care services on special groups, and in social services in the absence of long-term and systematic social work. The results also highlighted the inadequacy of support measures for lobbying and financial management, as well as the lack of network work in social and health care services.