...Homelessness is a cycle of different complex issues that directly, and negatively, affects one another. The homeless population are more susceptible to communicable diseases; thus, lower life-expectancy (Khan & Madness, 2014). Additionally, homelessness is associated with the increase risk of substance abuse, which exacerbate their predicament as it is also perceived as a stimulus to the increase of one’s vulnerability to advance into chronic homelessness. (National Health Care for The Homeless Council, 2011). In children, homelessness is much severe as it causes permanent detrimental effects on their physical and mental development (American Psychological Association, n.d.). The consequence of homelessness can be the cause of...
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...Homeless persons BSHS/302 - INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN SERVICES In 1948, the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 23 states, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” However, shockingly there are between five and six hundred thousand people that are considered to be homeless today. This means they do not have a permanent, safe, or affordable place to live. Due to the rising costs of housing and lower wages for skilled workers or the lack of demand of work, people going homeless is rapidly becoming a problem. Also there are many other reasons why people are homeless, such as family breakdown or a natural disaster. In earlier times homeless people were typically blamed for their own circumstances or they were considered to be lazy, a drunk, or a criminal. During the Great Depression, beliefs about the homeless were changed. During the depression people were faced with hard times. Millions of people lost their jobs and homes, and those who still had a job struggled just to make ends meet. In the 1960s, mentally ill patients being discharged by the masses, also known as deinstitutionalization, were sent out to live on the...
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...decades analyzing homelessness among children, as well as homeless women expecting children. These studies show that there are many factors of homelessness that affect children ranging from the earliest stages of development to their later teen years into adulthood. This study will focus on the direct effects being a child without a home might have on the ability of those children to be successful in their adult lives. Literature Review: When considering reasons for developmental delays in skills among homeless children, there are many areas that should be reviewed. First of all, let us talk about what might constitute as a “developmental delay in skills”. According the Molnar, Rath, and Klein, when they studied the impact of homelessness on children they focused on issues dealing with homeless mothers in their prenatal state dividing the pregnant women into groups of three: women in homeless shelters, women in housing projects, and all other women (all residing in New York City)(1990, p.110). Of these three groups, the women who were in homeless shelters received the least amount of prenatal care, if any at all, as well as the highest amount of babies that were born at weights lower than average which is proven to increase the likelihood of developing a handicap condition, hearing and or visual impairments, mental retardations, and or behavioral and learning problems. In addition, this group of women also had the highest number of infant mortality rates among the three groups...
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...A large number of homeless people entered the street in the 1970s. A large contributing factor is because of deinstitutionalization of medically ill, as well as the changes in housing stock, which led to a dramatic decline of single-room housing that began in the 1950s (Coalition). These single-room housing units provided low-cost housing for low-income families due to several factors such as the shared kitchen and bathroom systems (Coalition). “In 1960, by one measure, there were approximately 129,000 single-room housing units citywide. By the 1970s, single-room housing had become the “housing of last resort” for poor single adults, many of whom were disabled, elderly, addicts, or ex-inmates,” (Coalition). Besides the simple cut of single-room housing, this deinstitutionalization led a discharge of tens of thousands of mentally ill individuals to the New York City communities. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, “between 1965 and 1979 alone, the number of resident patients in State psychiatric centers fell from 85,000 to 27,000, which was a 68 percent decline.” This policy of deinstitutionalization was due to new and different medications and new approaches in providing treatment in a community setting. Because of the deinstitutionalization, single-room housing units became a key place for those...
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...Vulnerable Population The number of homeless is difficult to ascertain because estimates vary depending on the methodology used. Numbers also vary substantially depending on whether a measurement is taken on a single night or is inferred to a given year. In 2009, .Los Angeles, California was the state in the United States with the highest recorded percentage of homeless people making it a place with relatively large vulnerable populations http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/526/homeless-facts.html. These homeless people ranged from all ages from very young children to the elderly. In the period of one year, it was recorded that Los Angeles records had approximately 254,000 homeless people. When the statistics are looked at per night, they show that 82,000 people are homeless every night. Today I will give a description of the potential financial impact on this vulnerable population, the impact of changes among this population as it relates to demographics and socioeconomic status, and the impact the homeless has on the health care delivery system in the United States. I will also analyze the issues and challenges of this homeless population, offer some potential solutions to address the needs of this population and evaluate the overall risk to the U.S health care system if their rates continue to rise over 2-3% over the next 5 years as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is enacted. The recession will force 1.5 million more people...
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...Whose Involved in the Fight to End Homelessness? What has to change in the fight to end homelessness? The number of homeless in need is larger than the funds available to make a difference. People wanting to help are not up-to-date about how, where, and when they can help. Where funds should go is complicated for federal assistance determination. If one does get approved for assistance, they may have to wait six months before aid will arrive. One may ask what can they do help the homeless population? They can volunteer with donations and clothing drives, donate food to soup kitchens, and write to their senators with suggestions about the needs of the homeless. The donations may not be a large sum of money, but for someone that has no money it’s a lottery win (Targeted News Service, 2015). The many public and private non- profit agencies to benefit the homeless movement have the mission statement which is: Reduce Homelessness in America. Homelessness in America is being addressed by some of the following coalitions with overwhelming urgency. The National Alliance to end Homelessness in America (NAEH) provides data and research to policymakers in Washington (Targeted News Service, 2015). All established information along with the continuing research between national organizations follows the NAEH lead to end homelessness along with support of the determined mission to end homelessness in America (Targeted News Service, 2015). Agencies Involved with Ending Homelessness...
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...because no one would hire them. The reason that there are so many people homeless is because the economy. People can’t find jobs so they have to sell their home and downgrade to a smaller home or apartment. Often there are times when families are broken up because the husband can’t provide for his family and they end up on the streets. The root cause of being homeless can be explained by economics, it’s said that people who become homeless are going through a financial issue and are unable to obtain or maintain their homes. Research shows that 83% of the homeless population experience episodic, transitional, or temporary periods of homelessness. The challenges that people in poverty ridden areas in trying to keep their get a home is the level of the housing cost burden. When housing is 30% or less of monthly income then it is considered to be affordable. Data collected from the US Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey shows that 75% of the households at or below the poverty line are severely housing cost burdened. When your housing accounts for 50% or more of a household’s resources, any unexpected financial crisis could cause a major housing stability problem and lead to an increased risk of homelessness. Being able to afford a house is a major issue across America and research shows that severe housing cost burden can vary by state. There are many reasons as to why people become homeless one of the most frequently reported reasons for...
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...Homeless Youth I was surprised to learn that so many youth in America don’t have a home to go to every day and night. I decided to look up some statistics on homeless youth; I got my information from the National Coalition for the Homeless. Considering the statistics of how many youth are homeless is from 2002, there is about over one million homeless youth in the US. Pregnant and homosexual, bisexual, and transgender teens account for the highest percent of homeless youth. That doesn’t really surprise me because when most parents find out that their daughter is pregnant or a sexual orientation they don’t approve of they’ll get angry or not accept it so ultimately they’ll kick them out. With the economy today a lot of teenagers don’t have jobs, so if their parents kick them out then they don’t really have a choice but to slum in the streets or if possible find a shelter. Although, most teens don’t experience long-term homelessness; they usually find a relative or find a way to make it on their own. The National Coalition of the Homeless says that the three major causes of homelessness are family problems, economic problems, and residential instability. None of this information surprises me because of physical and sexual abuse within families and the economy downfall and homes being foreclosed on. Since most youth can’t afford to sustain themselves on their own they turn to other means to make money. Some of these ways are selling drugs and selling their body. I...
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...day the numbers grow. There are many reasons for people becoming homeless. Alcohol and drug addiction is one of the main reasons of homelessness. Phychosis and depression are the second highest reason, and serious mental disorders are the third highest reason. Researchers have over 29 studies that have included over 5684 homeless individuals. Every day we are coming up with new answers to why people are becoming homeless and we are constantly working on ways to keep everyone off of the streets. The homeless are a group of people that have poorer physical and mental health than the general population. There are over 1 million homeless worldwide. According to the Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders among the homeless: Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis published December 02, 2008 DOI 10.1371/Journal.pmed.005225 the main causes of homelessness are the following: * Drug and alcohol misuse * Lack of social support * Family support * Family breakdown and disputes * Institutional backgrounds (prison) * Armed services * Mental disorders In today’s society the homeless are looked down upon. No One wants to ask questions but just assume. I think that everyone should be treated the same and not judged by how they look or the clothes that they wear. I think that each homeless person should be addressed differently but treated with the same respect. If a homeless person is on alcohol and drugs then they should be referred to AA...
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...Previous attempts Do You Ignore Homeless People? We should not ignore homeless people on the street but to help them. Homeless people go unseen every day, as passersby ignore their existence on sidewalks, in parks, in subway stations. Based on the U.S. Conference of Mayors report from 2008, 19 of the 25 cities reported an increase in homelessness from 2007. More specifically, 16 cities reported an increase in the number of homeless families. Also, due to the recent foreclosures crisis, homelessness has been on the rise. In the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s 2008 Report, 12 of the 25 cities surveyed reported an increase in homelessness. There were some campaigns have been done after the increasing of the population of homelessness in America. Firstly, The National Center on Family Homelessness launched the Campaign to End Child Homelessness in 2009 to ensure that not one child in America goes to sleep for one night without a home. They believe it unacceptable for any child in the United States to be homeless. The Campaign's legacy will be that all children who are homeless will have stable housing, vital support services, and the same opportunities available to more fortunate children. The campaign plans to better address the needs of homeless children, improve programs and services to meet the unique needs of homeless children. Unfortunately, according to the America’s Youngest Outcasts 2010 State Report Card on Child Homelessness the numbers of homeless children increase by more than...
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...The role of a homeless health peer advocate is to support a client’s experiencing homelessness to address their physical health issues through various services such as Find and Treat (Tuberculosis X-Ray Screening service), Hepatitis and Latent Tuberculosis, hospital visits, targeted advocacy and health promotion through in-reach coffee mornings at hostels and homeless day centers. Peer advocates supports clients to attend medical appointments and make choices about what next and give practical support in attending follow up appointments and hospital stays. To support clients to address their health needs advocates help find information about health and health services for clients to address their health needs. Advocacy is central in supporting clients and homeless health peers cannot give health advice or tell the client what is in their best interest nor give support in other areas that is not health related, e.g. attending benefit center appointments. A client's situation cannot be discussed with anyone without the consent from client. Advocates do not work with any clients whose behavior poses a risk to the peer advocate and never collect a client from private accommodation or enter their rooms at hostels. Arrangements will be made to collect clients in public areas. The uniqueness of peer advocacy is evident at health in reach sessions and coffee morning which provides regular presence to build a good report with residents through informal chats about health and wellbeing...
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...Homeless in Kentucky Paul Jay Keys HSM/210 - Human Services in the United States February 8th, 2014 Ms. Angelique Spruill University of Phoenix One often thinks of homelessness as an urban problem. You think of a person, maybe wearing ragged clothing, walking down a street pushing an encumbered shopping cart, and living under the bridge or in a shelter. However, in Kentucky, our homeless have a very different face as our homeless are often living with friends or family or living in places that do not have running water or electricity. A person is considered homeless if they do not have access to safe, affordable and stable places to live. People become homeless for a variety of reasons such as health problems, family conflicts, limited life choices and the lack of a support system are common causes of homelessness. Loss of employment or the lack of affordable housing, are some of the economic factors that play a role in becoming homeless. Individually, the effects of homelessness are extensive and severe as homelessness means more than just a loss of self-esteem they face intensely higher rates of infectious disease, mental health problems, physical disorders, disabilities and premature death. They also face intensified risks of becoming imprisoned or institutionalized. Homelessness also has an intense impact on the community as well, taking an incredible toll on family stability by impeding the ability to find and maintain jobs, hindering the learning process of children...
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...NURSING ISSUES AND HOMELESS YOUTH PRESENTED BY MICHELLE ALLEN AND LORI UMENHOFER I. Research and Awareness A. Homeless youth face the same issues faced by children in the general population, but their issues are exacerbated by the circumstances inherent to their homeless status. B. As touched upon in the skit, some of the health care issues especially prevalent in the homeless youth population are psychosocial issues, nutrition issues, communicable diseases, dermatological disorders, respiratory disorders, dental health issues, sexual health issues, substance abuse issues, and issues related to medication adherence. II. Psychosocial Issues A. Multiple studies have identified the adverse effects of homelessness on children’s psychosocial health. 1. Kern Medical Center Study – In comparison to other poor children who have never been homeless, there is increased risk for depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, and academic problems in homeless children. B. Women who are homeless during pregnancy usually do not have access to prenatal care, are often undernourished, and are often substance abusers – all of which leads to low birth weight babies with neurobehavioral problems predisposing them to lower academic achievement and behavioral issues at higher rates than children who are not homeless. C. Studies such as those carried out by the Health Care for the Homeless Clinician’s Network show that, for children who are homeless with their families, under stimulation by...
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...According to Youth homelessness: A call for partnerships between Research and policy; homeless youths are defined as a group of adolescents/young adults, between the ages of 12 to 24, who live in shelters, on streets, couches or in abandoned buildings. According to Evas.com, an non-profit dedicated to the prevention of homelessness reported that there is an estimated 35,000-40,000 homeless youth in Canada, additionally - many youths that are homeless have not completed their highschool education. “Literacy rates in Canada are among the highest in the world, … however, for many homeless youth, staying in school is a difficult challenge. Studies find that 63% to 90% of homeless youth did not complete highschool, despite being the age to do so.”...
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...the economy. Homelessness in our nation affects our, communities, economics and families at large. Being a native Angelino, I grew up not realizing that homelessness is an epidemic. I did not understand why there were so many homeless people, nor did I think of seeing panhandlers asking for money and food as a crisis, but I viewed it as “normal”. I always knew local transients by name and would try to help with spare change or a meal when I could. I had no idea of the staggering statistics of homelessness in my community; I didn’t understand the effects of homelessness on our economy and that the alarming rate of poverty level in my metropolitan city, affects us all. By focusing more attention, resources and time to housing our poverty-stricken communities in the long run it would cost less and would also create a more humane society. In the beautiful city of Los Angeles, tourists from all over world fill the cities top attraction sites daily. What most tourist may not know is that every morning before dawn, Los Angeles has a long history of using police to control public spaces by limiting the appearance of homelessness in the city. While this may be a great tactic to hide our staggering homeless rates, the reality is that Los Angeles has more homeless people than any other large city in our country. On any more than 82,000 people in Los Angeles sleep without shelter. In an effort to house more of the cities’ population and save money, Los Angeles should divert resources from...
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