...homelessness are people just like us. They desire financial stability and a secure home, but have confronted difficult circumstances without sufficient resources to overcome the situation and remain housed. Unfortunately, that is the reality of homelessness today. Typically, families become homeless as a result of some unforeseen financial crisis - a medical emergency, a car accident, a death in the family - that prevents them from being able to hold on to housing. Most homeless families are able to bounce back from homelessness quickly, with relatively little public assistance. Usually, homeless families require rent assistance, housing placement services, job assistance, and other short-term, one-time services before being able to return to independence and stability. In the case study, "Mayor Schell's Zero Homeless Family Pledge", Norton discusses the challenges facing a policy manager in a large city (Seattle) government agency who is expected to implement a bold new policy to reduce homelessness that may exceed the local government's capacity to address the issue. In the case, the mayor of Seattle pledges in June that there will be no homeless families with children or homeless women by Christmas. The manager in the case, Alan Painter, shares the mayor's commitment and enthusiasm for reducing homelessness in the city, but has many concerns about the feasibility of the mayor's pledge. Painter knows the current...
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...Kip Tiernan: A Leader in the Fight Against Homelessness Homelessness can be defined as an individual lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (McKinney-Veto Homeless Education Act, Section 725). Because homelessness can be a short or long-term problem, it is difficult to accurately calculate homeless figures. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that there are 634,067 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States. This includes people of all genders, ages, races, and backgrounds. According to the Campaign to End Child Homelessness, 1.6 million children experience homelessness annually (2012). In total, approximately 3 million individuals are experiencing homelessness each year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty). Homelessness is a problem that is very personal. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, and veterans are being affected. We must come together as a society to work toward combating this problem. Kip Tiernan was an inspiring leader in the fight against homelessness. Her greatest accomplishment was founding Rosie’s Place, the first homeless shelter for women. Kip Tiernan was born on June 17, 1926 in West Haven, CT. She was raised by her grandmother after her parents passed away when she was still a child. She got expelled from boarding school in the 1930s for consumption of alcohol. In 1947, she moved to Boston to study jazz at Boston Conservatory. Unfortunately, she again got expelled...
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...tattered clothes, unshaven beard, an unseen smell that comes from them. Homeless people have existed throughout history of the United States. However, more recently, it would seem that the numbers have risen since the economy is not doing so well. Within this paper, the model population homeless person will be discussed along with statistical information in Georgia, service outcome goals, pinball program to teach the goals that include to community organizations, internalized cost estimate of healthcare dollars saved by this program, and to potential funding sources that may potentially provide monetary sponsorship. According to the declaration of human rights, article 25 (1), states that “everyone has the right to… food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services” (Donohoe, 2004). Although, it states right there that it is every person’s right to have access to these necessities, this is not always the case for many who for whatever reason, do not have the means to afford them. The current downturn of the economy next with current unemployment situation has led to force many people into homeless situations. But time homelessness “refers to the condition of individuals without a regular dwelling and the term is used to describe people who do not have the home and who sleep on the street, but is also commonly used to refer to individuals whose primary nighttime residence is a homeless shelter, a warning center, or another ad hov type of housing”...
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...Deborah Mager Dr. Bliss Engl. 101 11/22/11 Homelessness Plan There are so many children who are homeless each year with their families. Lucy Smith is one such child. She lives in a car with her mother after they lost their home. This past August, when the back to school lists came out, her mother couldn’t even afford to get her all the supplies she needs. Children at school make fun of her for being homeless and Lucy’s teacher kept asking her where her supplies were. Every morning, they go into a store to use the bathroom to get ready for the day. At least three nights a week, they try and go to a friend’s house to take a shower and wash their clothes. Her mother is looking for a job, but it’s hard to get hired when they don’t always have the cleanest clothes and an address. Lucy is just one child affected by homelessness, but there are many more, just like her. Unemployment is a major factor in homeless families ending up on the streets. The U.S Department of Labor claims that in 2010 there were at least 9.8 million families with an unemployed member. When the economy crashed, many people lost their jobs or received reduced hours. For many families, that caused them to get behind in paying rent or the mortgage. It was especially bad for the minimum wage workers who were already on the verge of homelessness before they lost their jobs. Another problem contributing to homelessness is the mortgage crisis. A Medill School report found that in October 2007, Illinois ranked...
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...Human Services Professional Worksheet BSHS 355 September 16, 2014 University of Phoenix Material Human Services Professional Worksheet Select three agency types from the following list: |A drug and alcohol treatment program |A hospital rehabilitation center (A physical rehabilitation center) | |A homeless shelter |A crisis intervention center | |A day treatment drop-in center for teenagers | | Complete the table for the chosen agencies by providing a 60- to 85-word response in each column. An example has been completed as a guide. |The agency |Description of the agency |Who they serve |The professionals involved with the |The professional’s role | | | | |agency | | |A domestic violence program|A domestic violence program provides |As mentioned, this program may |In many residential programs, |The role of the professional working in a| | |protection and...
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... The Hidden Homeless I have previously volunteered at the Mainspring house in Brockton but I never Have eaten among the homeless before. Mainspring house is a homeless shelter that also partners with father bills which is another homeless shelter, Father Bills and Mainspring House have locations in Brockton, Quincy and Taunton. Father Bills and Mainspring take in the homeless, feed them a meal and then let them stay the night before they have to leave the next day. They also have permanent housing programs that the homeless can get into. The mission statement on their website helpfbms.org states " The mission of Father Bills and Mainspring House is to help homeless people obtain a home by giving temporary shelter and food , finding safe and affordable housing and providing permanent housing with supportive services Father Bills and Mainspring helps people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to achieve self-sufficiency." According to their website 15 percent of the adults that are sheltered are employed but are still homeless, and 388 of the people who are sheltered are children. While I was driving to the facility I was extremely nervous, while I was waiting in the line outside for dinner what really surprised me the most was what the homeless people looked like. When you think of a homeless person you usually think of the people on the street sleeping in a cardboard box and wearing...
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...natives it is a struggle to find food or even a bed for the night. Believe it or not the Aloha state has one of the highest homeless rates for their population among the other fifty states. The governor has signed an emergency proclamation to tackle the problem of homelessness in the state. He said that this should give those individuals and families some hope for the future, and give them a faster route to finding a home. The governor also said that even though emergency proclamations are usually signed for natural disasters or statewide epidemics this should be considered one of those because of all the people it includes. The last things that were mentioned was that this plan is estimated to cost one point three million dollars and intends to provide permeate housing very soon. In Matthew six twenty-five it talks about how we do not need to worry about what we eat, drink, or wear, because God has that all in his hands. In the verses following it says to look at all the good...
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...has yet to be found. But, activists have came up with many alternatives for example like affordable housing and homeless shelters. Alarmingly twenty-two percent of people in shelters were children. There are a lot more statistics like this that just wanna make you cringe. But, they are receiving shelter and food so that is a great alternative than sleeping on the streets. Although this isn't a complete solution to the issue of homelessness we are getting closer to a final solution. Homelessness has gradually become a...
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...In Allegheny County, homelessness has been an ongoing issue in need of attention. Each year the Continuum of Care (CoC) program assists in providing point-in-time (PIT) data to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding the demographics of the homeless population throughout the country. People become homeless for a number of reasons. Primarily homelessness is due to a lack of funds. Homelessness can also be attributed to severe mental illness and chronic substance abuse. In the United States, 20-25% of the population is affected by some form of severe mental illness. People affected with mental illness are more likely to become homeless than the general population. Mental Illness can disrupt a person’s ability to carry out essential daily tasks of living, such as self care and household management. Mental illness can inhibit...
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...of Veterans Day (n.d.), Armistice Day was started at the end of World War I. Then twenty-eight years later, the name of this holiday changes to Veterans Day to honor all of the veterans who fought in any war. After that, some programs were created to support those veterans. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (2015) said that the purpose of this department is to create programs to help veterans with their needs. Some of these programs provide good benefits for veterans such as health care, disability compensation, and the opportunity to find jobs. Those programs were not enough to support the basic needs of all veterans. According to Farley (2010), many veterans did not receive any rewards from those programs. As a result, some became homeless and many developed mental disorders. Homelessness is one of the major problems faced by veterans. The main reason that increases the possibility of homelessness is the social status. Ghose, Gordon, Adam, Metraux, Stephen, Kristin, and Amy (2015) found that most of the homelessness veterans did not have a higher education. If they do not have experience in any occupation, it is difficult for them to find a job to live as a normal person. However, most of them consume drugs, alcohol, and get sex with strangers for money when they become homelessness. In addition, age is an important factor that increases the possibility of homelessness. According to Clegg, Daigh, Culhane, and Kane (2013), veterans have a higher risk of homelessness when...
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...OBJECTIVE Service-focused social worker and program coordinator with a strong commitment to serving the needs of disadvantaged youth and adults, including homeless, emancipated youth and special-needs populations. Excel in program and organizational planning, with documented success overcoming challenges of limited resources and financial constraints to design high-quality, cost-effective and comprehensive service offerings. Skilled in building community support, key coalitions and strategic interagency partnerships. Backed by solid credentials (MSW) and equal strengths in program, personnel and case management. [pic] WORK EXPERIENCE Service Coordinator / Lead Case Manager / Case Manager 8/1999-Present, ABC Homeless Shelter, San Diego, CA Progressed through a series of promotions, culminating in responsibility for the coordination of five transitional housing programs. Supervise a team of 12 social workers, case managers, group facilitators and direct-care staff. Develop and maintain strong community alliances with county/state agencies, police departments and youth-service programs. Program Contributions: • Demonstrated outstanding case management (caseload of up to 78) and dedication to clients, as evidenced by repeated promotions throughout tenure. • Achieved a record of 95 percent enrollment in college/job-training programs among clients, propelling both individual and program success through subsequent income generation. • Provided highly visible, caring...
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...society. The overall image that emerges from the effects of homeless people is negative: they’re seen as lazy, drug users, alcoholics, and worthless. This study recovers some of the homelessness perspective for an American audience through research, data, and an interview by a homeless person living in Georgia. This study will allow explanations and will challenge three widely held assumptions of the homeless people living in America: 1) Homeless people are lazy; 2) Homeless people are all drug and alcohol users and abusers; 3) Homeless people brought it on themselves. This research is to add nuance to our understanding about the social problem stated. Homelessness qualifies as a “social problem” because it doesn’t just affect the homeless but the nation as well. This paper will hopefully contribute more knowledge and understanding about the effects of homelessness in America. There has been a plethora of research done on homelessness in America since the 1980’s, but there has been changing quality and has left areas uninvestigated. According to Ravenhill (2011), In 2000 there was a survey done by researchers that included; the state of knowledge, finding growing interest in the social and economic factors underlying homelessness, increasing sophistication in the identification of ‘risk’ facts, and evolving expertise in helping people resettle. However, they noted a real absence of research tracking homeless people overtime. This is very essential for understanding the...
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...United States Department of Health and Human Services: As our country struggles through tough times there is no doubt we, as a whole nation, have had to make some compromises. One of the biggest, broadest issues our country has been facing is the recent budget cuts in numerous different categories including mental health care. Mental health care has gotten the short end of the stick in the last few years, and it has become a spiraling problem in the United States. Between 2009 and 2011 the United States witnessed some of the largest state budget cuts in history, and we are still suffering from the consequences of doing so. Where does a majority of homelessness, suicide, substance abuse and jail overcrowding stem from? If you take a closer look it will become very clear that cutting the funding for mental health research and treatment has left these mentally ill patients with very few options suitable enough for their varying conditions. Due to the lack of appropriate facilities needed to properly diagnose and treat mentally ill patients, jails are becoming overcrowded and homelessness is at an all-time high. The importance of mental health care is being put on the back burner while, instead, it needs to be a priority and that is why President Obama’s proposition to increase funding to aid the mentally ill in 2014 is extremely necessary. As states cut mental health care funding, prisons are becoming an asylum. There is a very common misconception among the general public...
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...On any given day homeless numbers rise and fall due to economic conditions, incarcerations, death and possibly successfully pulling yourself up out of the situation. There are many factors that can lead to homelessness: job loss, addiction, domestic abuse and mental illness. Once a person is in the grip of homelessness it is hard to rise out of. Survival becomes the number one concern. They face challenges everyday that most people never have to face. Getting money for food, or alcohol or drugs is their most basic goal. A person is at such a low point in their life that they feel worthless, suffer from low self-esteem and hopelessness. For many addiction doesn’t begin until after they find themselves homeless as it is a way to get through the day and forget. Economic problems in society today stemming from the subprime mortgage crises have led to a high number of foreclosures. Unemployment rates have risen at a fast rate and people are finding themselves financially unstable. Combine the two some are finding they have no options left and nowhere to go. Tent cities are growing in numbers which we haven’t seen since the 1980’s. The majority of people living in the tent cities are people suffering because of the economic recession. The addict and mentally Ill can be found in other locations. Many women find themselves in dire straits due to domestic problem. They get married and have children early in life with no post secondary education and one day found themselves in dire...
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...McKinney, for purposes of the 1987 McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, “a homeless person (homelessness) is one who lacks a fixed permanent nighttime residence, or whose nighttime residence is a temporary shelter, welfare hotel, or any public or private place not designed as sleeping accommodations for human beings.” (Baum, 8) A rather deceptive definition when one considers the fact that homelessness is not a natural state, but one created and maintained by political agendas.Our government is not doing all that it can to combat our nation’s homelessness.In 1987, the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was put into law. (Burger, 68-83) However, our government has moved away from the need to address the causes of homelessness. Instead our government has focused on the individual responsibility of those who become homeless, blaming their misfortune as their own fault. (Baum, 5-9) It is this belief that has helped to increase the homelessness of our nation, and it is this belief that will continue to do so if our government does not take a closer and more realistic look at the causes behind homelessness in our nation. Unless our government commits to ending homelessness through public education, policy advocacy, and technical assistance, homelessness will become a national disaster for the United States. Right now our government is not doing all it can towards putting into place the necessary solutions to combat homelessness. Who are/where the homeless people are...
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