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Three of the most prevalent issues within the homeless community include domestic violence, mental health issues and substance abuse.
According to he U.S. Conference of Mayors, 57 percent of families who are homeless identified domestic violence as the cause.
The most recent statistics available from HUD (1999) indicate that 57 percent of the homeless population is affected by mental health issues.
According the HUD survey, 60 percent of homeless people are affected by substance abuse.
While not apparent in every case, these issues are often contributing factors to the larger problem of homelessness. -
Untreated mental health issues can contribute significantly to the problem of homelessness. Statistics from the HUD survey show that 24 percent of the homeless population are veterans. This suggests that both depression and post traumatic stress syndrome contribute to the problem of homelessness. Psychosis and schizophrenia are also considered to be contributing factors.
Drug and/or alcohol abuse may cause homelessness, as the addiction may interfere with a job, eventually bringing about the loss of a home. In other cases, however, the addiction may be created due to homelessness as a means of coping with the circumstances.
Almost half of the homeless population is affected by a combination of the above issues. -
The idea that all homeless people are either addicts or mentally ill is a common misconception. While there is an increased number of people with these issues within the homeless population, homeless individuals may come from any number of backgrounds.
The fact that the number of individuals affected by homelessness directly relates to current economic conditions has been widely understood for many years. There are a growing number of people who are affected simply because they are "down on their luck," having lost a job or taken a pay cut. -
The effects of homelessness can be devastating. The additional stress can exacerbate previously existing conditions such as depression, post traumatic stress as well as all other mental health conditions.
It can also cause an addicted person to increase their use of substances in an attempt to escape the reality of their situation. Previously non-addicted people may seek out substances in attempt to self-medicate.
Additionally, individuals faced with homelessness are less likely to receive adequate food or health care, which can lead to numerous health issues. The HUD survey indicates that 46 percent of the homeless population also suffer from some type of chronic health condition. -
Because there are multiple factors that can lead to the problem of homelessness, there cannot be a standard "one size fits all" remedy to the problem.
County and local governments need to reach out to their specific homeless population, assessing each case individually. This approach would allow an individuals specific needs to be identified and addressed. This is important because an entirely different set of solutions are needed for the person facing mental health issues, the person with drug and alcohol abuse problems and the person fleeing an unsafe living environment.
More prevention programs are needed in order to assist those facing eviction due to economic circumstances, as well.
