Homelessnes s By Kerra Sepanski What exactly is homelessness Also known as houselessness which is the state of being unhoused unsheltered or lacking a stable safe and adequate home Possible Causes Unemployment Poverty Losing a job or going a long period without Cannot afford to pay for housing due to other income expenses Sickness Accidents Serious Injuries Substance Abuse Drug addiction and mental illness can become barriers to having a stable job Victims of Floods Droughts Fires Some natural disasters are hard to recover from Where can the homeless stay For some a friend or family place Usually temporary In a home but still homeless The term doubled up meaning living in crowded places with extended family or friends because of economic hardship Homeless shelters They offer food shelter and supplies for homeless Some are dangerous and not well kept Temporary and not accepting to all Tent communities Often get destroyed or vandalized The untalked about Being homeless causes depression domestic violence and substance abuse Homelessness obviously takes a toll on an individuals mentality which causes them to lose confidence in themselves making it harder to find a way out According to a 2015 assessment by the U S Department of Housing and Urban Development out of the 580 000 homeless people 140 000 or 25 are seriously mentally ill 250 000 or 45 have mental illness Solution In order for change to happen it requires the people with the skills and resources to overcome homelessness Permanent Supportive Housing address issues like unemployment addiction mental illnesses and physical health Provides stability while the homeless BEGIN to Services Food Showers Clothing Chapel Services Dental Vision Medical Services Access to case workers Support Groups What can you do Donations Housed Working and Healthy Websites Used Shocking Facts about Homelessness Onelight Charity Donations Housed Working and Healthy In a home but still homeless Social Justice News Nexus northwestern edu Where People Live Sleep When They re Homeless lfhtoledo org Homelessness and Mental Illness A Challenge to Our Society Brain Behavior Research Foundation bbrfo undation org The Business Case for Ending Homelessness Having a Home Improves Health Reduces Healthcare Utilizati on and Costs PMC nih gov Shelters Intervention Tool homelessnessimpact org