Singular Social Capital

Mental illness alone can be devastating to anyone who has it, but when it is also paired with being homeless, the results are catastrophic. “According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. In comparison, only 6% of Americans are severely mentally ill” (“Mental Illness and Homelessness”). If the early symptoms of a mental illness are discovered quick enough, the effects can drastically be minimized and controlled through medication, therapy, and knowledge of the illness. Since most Americans are fortunate to already have this outlet of medical services readily available at their disposal, their mental illness

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, approximately 564,708 people were homeless on a single night in January of 2015 in the United States (“The State of Homelessness in 2016”). It is estimated that 250,000 people who suffer from Mental Health illnesses are homeless (Torrey). Providing affordable housing, and access to mental health services for the homeless population are essential components to end the homeless epidemic.

According to the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH), disease was prevalent in the newly homeless. This population accessed health care services at high rates in the year before becoming homeless. Significant improvements in health status were seen over the study period as well as a significant increase in the number who were insured (American Journal of Public Health, 2012). The homeless in Overtown face a variety of risks and barriers to their health. Firstly, a good number of the population suffers from mental illness, they suffer from a range of mental health problems from depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia and many more. Most are unable to treat their mental

The courts recognize the obstacles being homeless creates and targets those obstacles instead of just the homeless individual. According to a study in 2007 done by the American Journal of Psychiatry “by 18 months after completion, participants, who at first are required to make weekly court appearances, are 39 percent less likely to be charged with a new offense than mentally ill people in the regular court system. The risk of being charged with a new violent crime was 54 percent lower” (Knight 3). Local law enforcement agencies can support aid programs for the homeless by training police officers to help homeless citizens and direct them to homeless agencies. Health care providers such as clinics and hospitals can also be a link to rehabilitation programs. Hospitals are constantly receiving homeless patients suffering from mental disorders and overdoses. Once patients are treated they are usually released back onto the streets without further care. Thus, the hospitals are only providing temporary help, and there is a high chance that someone will end up in the hospital again for the same problem. “Reducing the flow of at-risk individuals being released from institutions into the community without receiving proper transitional services is critical to reducing

Homelessness as a result of deinstitutionalization in the US increased dramatically, tripling in 182 cities over the court of the 1980s (Bagenstos, 2012). In addition, mental health and substance abuse is a major problem in across the country because of homelessness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness (DMHAS, 2014). Consequently, mental illnesses disrupt people’s ability to carry out key aspects of daily life, such as self-care and household responsibilities. As a result of these factors and the stresses of living with a mental disorder, people with mentally illnesses are much more likely to become homeless than the general population (Karger, & Stoesz, 2014). Even if homeless individuals with mental illnesses are provided with housing, they are unlikely to achieve residential stability and remain off the streets unless they have access to continued treatment and services. In Connecticut there are a number of housing options that are in place like supportive housing. Research has shown that supported housing is effective for people with mental illnesses (DMHAS, 2014). Unfortunately, in Connecticut, lack of funding is a significant barrier to the successful implementation of supported housing programs. Because of homelessness people cycle between street corner, jail cell and hospital beds, in addition the homeless who are

After doing much research, I have learned that to develop awareness and interventions to be able to help the homeless population, we must understand their mental health and behavioral needs. The information they all share in common are the factors why a specific type of population became homeless. The interrelation of homelessness and mental illness are informed by many factors such as; the lack of support, extreme poverty, substance abuse, lack of affordable health insurance, and lack of affordable housing. The homeless population shares different struggles when dealing with homelessness and mental illnesses because there are not enough resources for them to be able to come back to their normal self. When it comes to their struggles, they

How many people are homeless in the United States, why are they homeless, and what percentage of homeless people are negatively impacted by mental illness? These issues will be presented in this paper.

Dixon, Funston, Ryan and Wilhelm (2011) state that members of the homeless population also face cultural and economic barriers when it comes to mental health treatment. For example, they report that some fear that they will be involuntarily committed, that mental health professionals cannot relate to them, or their issues are too complex for professionals to respond to because they may also have alcohol or substance abuse problems to. According to Dixon et al (2011), there is a need for more integration of services, early intervention, and mental health professionals need to be trained on cultural competence.

At the time of the article, on any given night, 5500 persons were homeless in King County on any given night; 1300 on the street and 4200 in transitional housing (www.kingcounty.gov). According to the Committee to End Homelessness’s 2010 estimates, the homeless population in King County hovers around 8000 nightly in the cities and rural areas. Nearly 3000 of these meet the federal criteria for habitual homeless. Even more startling is the fact that close to thirty percent of the county’s homeless is mentally ill. Others are victims of domestic violence or homeless due to unemployment, substance abuse or some economic hardship. Longstanding efforts at reducing or eliminating homelessness have been geared toward policing the homeless population. This method has proven costly, inadequate and often ineffective. The prevailing mindset now is that access to housing before those suffering become chronically homeless is the only sensible and economically logical way to end homelessness. It’s a more hands on, direct approach that could provide long-term answer to homelessness (www.kingcounty.gov/homelessness).

The problems of homelessness and mental illness are inextricably intertwined. One way that mental illness impacts people's lives is that it oftentimes renders them unable to carry out the functions of daily life, such as keeping a job, paying their bills, and managing a household. In addition to disrupting the events of daily life, mental illness "may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause people to misinterpret others' guidance and react irrationally" (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). What this means is that a population that is already vulnerable because of an inability to consistently manage self-care lacks the same safety net as much of the rest of society.

Homelessness for the mentally ill in America is disproportionately represented when compared to the remaining population. According to a report from the National Coalition for the Homeless, “only 6% of Americans are severely mentally ill,” while “20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness” (National Coalition for the Homeless). The exorbitant rate is exacerbated by the difficulties faced by the mentally ill regarding steady employment and maintenance of healthy relationships. There is a strong interrelation between homelessness and risks of incarceration. This correlation is more robust among the mentally ill. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council issued four major policy

Critical time intervention (CTI) was designed to be bridge that filled the gap between institutionalization and transition into the community. The hope of CTI is to prevent homelessness among individuals suffering from mental illness as well as develop a step- by- step initiative that could combat the growing problem (Critical Time Intervention, 2012). Buchanan (2006) estimates that 3.5 million individuals are likely to experience homelessness in a given year (Sadowski, 2009). The epidemiology of homelessness suggest that serious mental illness is neither a necessity nor sufficient enough for homelessness. It suggests; however, that individuals suffering from socioeconomically difficulties could inevitably accompany serious mental illnesses to form the abundance of homeless individuals, considering the majority of homelessness is attributed to mental illness cases (Montgomery, 2013). The purpose of this EBP is to integrate critical time intervention with programs simulated by Medicaid and already established initiatives of the Affordable Care Act of 2014.

Following the release of individuals with mental and physical disabilities from psychiatric hospitals in the 1960’s, large quantities of convalescents relocated to programs of community-based care, several individuals became isolated and obtained homelessness. While this dilemma expanded, vagrancy became acknowledged as a community health issue, that may be approached through mental wellness supports (Bassuk, 1984; Rossi, 1990). In the beginning of the 2000’s, the United States government started to encourage society to develop foundations and courses of action to combat the epidemic of homelessness (National Alliance to end Homelessness, 2014). According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (2016), roughly 550,000 individuals

While some organizations help the homeless learn skills, get medical treatment, take part in counseling, and find affordable housing, most organizations are only a survival mechanism; providing food, clothing, and shelter for the night. While many people look down on the homeless, saying they should just get a job, it is better said than done. Many homeless people would like to get a job, but most need help getting there and for some a job is not an option due to medical disabilities; six in ten “long-term homeless adults have a serious mental illness and about half have a condition that limits the kind or amount of work they are able to do” (Wilder). Wilder Research and Foundation, a nonprofit social services organization, found in a study on homelessness that “[we] have gotten better at smoothing pathways to housing for those with fewer obstacles … but we still struggle to find feasible exits for those with significant mental health issues” (Wilder). If homeless people with mental illness can find and receive adequate long-term treatment and support, as well as affordable housing programs and corporate with the treatment given to them, they would probably stand a good chance of leaving homelessness permanently. The problem with this idea is that there is not enough support for homeless people with multiple problems, and the ones that are available, and successful, are scarce. “The promise of creating adequate

Mental illness is a health condition that affects an individual’s moods and thinking in a way that changes how that person relates to other people in society. The functioning of the affected person is also altered and usually results in the person failing to perform some of the daily activities that the person has previously engaged in. Mental illness can be considered a combination of both social and health complications, affecting the social life of the people who fall victim in many ways (Elliott & Huizinga, 2012). There are some health complications that are also experienced with mental disorders. It is also important to note that medical attention forms part of the therapies that try to correct or control this condition. More recently most concern has been on the fact that mental illness is a major social problem in the world (Gonzalez & Rosenheck, 2014).