According to a new national study using data collected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are somewhere between 444,000 and 842,000 homeless people in America. It found that nearly 25% were chronically homeless, and it found that many of the chronically homeless people had mental health or substance abuse problems while others simply could not afford housing. This study also reported that while most of the homeless were single adults, 41% were families.
Some cities and states have done their own counts of the homeless, providing a mix of trends, said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. For example, New York City and San Francisco have seen decreases, while the number of homeless in Washington, D.C., has increased, Roman said.
"In the last 12 to 18 months, the homeless population has essentially exploded in Philadelphia," said Marsha Cohen, executive director of the Homeless Advocacy Project, which provides free legal services to the homeless in Philadelphia. "We are seeing big increases in singles and families, both on the street and attempting to enter the homeless system."
"It's a whole influx of new people, and that's the really scary part," Cohen said.
I wonder how many PhDs are included the homeless population? Further, I wonder how many people have mental health issues or substance abuse problems as a direct result of being homeless?
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It's this sort of thing that really pisses me off about governments. I think there will always be some homeless, but a government that cares about its people should try to reduce the number. This is one of the reasons I left the UK and ended up in Finland: during the mid-90s, the numbers of homeless increased visibly. Quite frankly, I'm happy to be taxed up to my arse if it means I live in a society that looks after the needy.
Bob
mental health issues or substance abuse problems as a direct result of being homeless?
I'm not sure about being a result of homelessness, but I lived in the Philly area when Reagonomics really kicked in. The homeless population exploded as a direct result of cuts in funding to federal and state mental institutions.
In Ohio(Union County)they help the homeless with a ride to the Marion County line where in that county is a homeless shelter with "limited stay". The Marion Sherrifs'office will pick up at county line if domestic abuse is envolved,otherwise you walk 10 miles to the shelter. I believe the satistics are higher than predicted with the "working poor" falling in and out of work,mostly seasonal,where goverment predicted listings of employed to unemployed to welfare to welfare unqualified when losing addresses(homeless)to a final "waiting list" for low income housing which may take up to 2 years. Mental health issues or substance abuse problems can effect everyone and anyone at any given stage of life homeless or not. When the world comes crashing down its easy to submit to even a few hours of dodging reality. I hate it when there are children envolved before state or family step in. I just lost my boarder who,as a painter, is now broke - living in his car now at the local state park or nearby truck stop. He's not on a list. Employer did not pay into unemployment. How sad,:o(
When I lived in NYC (yes, again I used to live in NYC) my neighbor was a psychology major and worked with homeless people as part of her college work.
She said even people who were not mentally ill before they became homeless the stress of being homeless caused or triggered mental illness.
The second thing was that in the past homeless people would stay in hospitals or mental institutions because they were ill. When medications were developed mental ill homeless people were instead given meds and released. The problem is that they don't stay on their meds then become ill again then they are back on the street.