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Samantha Tagle
Sociology Topic on Social Issue: Of the estimated 744,000 people who are homeless on any given night, 40 to 4 percent of them have a serious mental illness !"ichols#$ %ental disorders prevent people from carrying out essential aspects of daily life, such as self care, household management and interpersonal relationships$ &omeless people with mental disorders remain homeless for longer periods of time and have less contact with family and friends$ They encounter more 'arriers to employment, tend to 'e in poorer physical health, and have more contact with the legal system than homeless people who do not suffer from mental disorder !"(&#$ In this section of this article id li)e to address mental illnesses among homeless people and loo) into why people with mental illnesses are more suscepti'le to 'ecoming homeless$ This is an un recogni*ed issue happening today and an ongoing issue$ There are currently no laws or policies to help represent this part of society$ The ma+ority of the homeless are convicted drug felons who cannot receive employment$ &istory: The universal declaration of human rights clearly states that everyone has the right to food clothing housing and medical care services $ the housing act of 1,4, states a long time goal of having a reasona'le decent home for every -merican family$ The fair housing act of 1,./ made it that there was no discrimination of race in the housing mar)et illegal$ Its insane that although we have these rights

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that we say 'elong to humans such as shelter, medical care not everyone receives these$

%ental illness 1 &omelessness: I would li)e to address mental illnesses, what causes them, and what can help people overcome them$ %ental illness is any disease or condition affecting the 'rain that influences the way a person thin)s, feels, 'ehaves and2or relates to others and to his or her surroundings !3utman ./,#$ -lthough the symptoms of mental illness can range from mild to severe and are different depending on the type of mental illness, a person with an untreated mental illness often is una'le to cope with life4s daily routines and demands$ -lthough the e5act cause of most mental illnesses is not )nown, it is 'ecoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused 'y a com'ination of genetic, 'iological, psychological and environmental factors$ One thing is for sure though and that is mental illness is not the result of personal wea)ness or a character defect, and recovery from a mental illness is not simply a matter of will or self6discipline !Tian#$ There are many )inds of mental illnesses, ma+or depression, 'ipolar disorder and schi*ophrenia are among the 7$S$4s top 10 leading causes of disa'ility !Tian# %ental illness, li)e many chronic illnesses, re8uires ongoing treatment$ 9ortunately, much progress has 'een made in the last two decades in treating mental illnesses$ -s a result, many mental conditions can 'e effectively treated with one or a com'ination of therapies$

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;hen diagnosed early and treated properly, many people fully recover from their mental disorder or are a'le to successfully control their symptoms!"ichols#$ -lthough some people 'ecome disa'led 'ecause of a chronic or severe mental illness, many others are a'le to live full and productive lives$ In fact, as many as / in 10 people suffering from a mental illness can effectively return to their normal activities if they receive appropriate treatment !Tian#$ Types of common %ental Illness in &omeless: $ The three most common types of mental diseases homeless e5perience, schi*ophrenia, 'ipolar condition, and ma+or depression !9olsom :7:#$ Schi*ophrenia, a disease of the 'rain, is one of the most disa'ling and emotionally devastating illnesses )nown to man$ Schi*ophrenias characteri*ed 'y ma+or disruption in thin)ing a'ilities and emotions which affects the most 'asic human needs: language, thought, perception, affect, and sense of self$ The most common symptoms are hallucinations and2or delusions$ This causes a person to act differently and have suspicion and fear of human contact !9olsom :74#$ <ipolar disorder, also )nown as manic depressive illness, is a common illness shown 'y episodes of mania and ma+or depression$ - person4s mood can change from e5cessive highs to ma+or hopelessness, usually with periods of normal moods in 'etween$ This condition really ma)es it hard to associate normally with people$ (linical depression is an illness characteri*ed 'y a 'unch of feelings, thoughts, and 'ehaviors that are very different from a person4s normal feelings and actions !9olsom :74#$ =uring a ma+or depression, a person 'ecomes surrounded 'y feelings of sadness, emptiness, and worthlessness$ These

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feelings affect every thought and e5perience, ma)ing life seem meaningless and hopeless$ -ll three of these diseases and conditions ma)e it terri'ly hard for them to try and get a +o' and earn some sort of income$ >ven if they do try to get a +o', most people will not hire them 'ecause of the fact that they are straight off the streets and have these diseases !3utman .,:#$ ?easoning for 'ecoming homeless: 3eople end up on the streets for many reasons$ In some cases, people@s families give up on them and they are left to survive on their own$ They have no place to go and no money to use so they are left to the streets$ It is also common for the mentally ill to stop ta)ing their medication 'ecause they feel they don t need it anymore and feel 'etter when really itAs +ust their medication wor)ing$ ;hen this happens, they can go into a state of mania and decide that they do not need help and can survive on their own without the medication !Stergiopoulos ,#$ -nother reason they stop ta)ing their medication is 'ecause they fear that the medicine is hurting their 'odies and cannot ta)e it anymore !Stergiopoulos 11#$ ;ithout proper medication it is very hard for them to associate with people and )eep relationships therefore they often find themselves on the streets$ %any homeless people can@t afford their medication they need for their illness or have hard times receiving help to 'uy medication so they often times will try to self medicate 'y drin)ing or doing illegal drugs which will ma)e their homeless path even worse 'ecause not only do they have this mental illness now, they also have an addiction !"ichols#$ -nother 'arrier to getting off the streets for the homeless is homeless people typically do not have health

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insurance, including %edicaid$ This means that few homeless people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol are not a'le to find the resources they need to pay for their own treatment$ -lso, there are 'ig waiting lists for addiction treatment in most states: The "ational -ssociation of State -lcohol and =rug -'use =irectors estimated that in 1,,7, over one million people were waiting for treatment nationwide !"(&#$ 3eople who are not easy to contact, such as homeless people, are often dropped from the lists$ 9orty percent of individuals who suffer from severe mental illness in the 7nited States don@t receive the treatment they need, according to =r$ (hristine Buodelis 9lores, specialist in adult psychiatry with the &ealth (are for the &omeless (&pro+ect at &ar'or view %edical (enter in Seattle, ;ashington$ CThere are now twice as many mentally ill persons in +ails and prisons than in psychiatric institutions,D she says$ CThe Eos -ngeles (ounty +ail has 'een reported to have more mentally ill inmates than the largest inpatient psychiatric unit in the 7nited States$D !&ealing &ands# %ost mentally ill people will receive their first diagnosis of 'eing mentally ill in +ail !&ealing &ands#$ Solving &omelessness: So how do we solve this pro'lem of the mentally ill not receiving the right treatmentF Solving the pro'lem of the mentally ill homeless cannot 'e done without solving the entire pro'lem of homelessness$ State institutions for the mentally ill are no longer availa'le 'y law to accommodate them$ ;hen the 'asic needs of life, food and shelter are weighed against mental health needs, 'oth the homeless and those trying to care for them choose those 'asic needs$ %any cities have responded to the homeless crisis 'y trying to shoo them away or 'y

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criminali*ing homelessness, which only shuns the pro'lem off onto the country@s over6filled +ails$!Eeshner : 0# ?eligious and private concerns try to provide shelter and food, 'ut that is only a stop6gap measure$ ;ithout an all out national effort to eliminate homelessness, I can see the pro'lem only getting worse, particularly in these struggling economic times$ The least a'le to fend for themselves, the mentally ill homeless, have no place to go, no way to provide for themselves and have little hope in the present situation !Eeshner : 0#$ One huge program that has helped many is a program in San ?afael called &omeward <ound$ It has 'een successful for 0 years helping the homeless$!&omeward 'ound# 9ortunately the community has supported the program which has led many individuals out of homelessness$ The program 'elieves that it does not +ust ta)e the individual to help him or herself, it ta)es us as people to listen, learn, and lend a hand to the homeless$ There are facilities availa'le to the homeless and the differences among them lie accordingly to each person s specific need$ There are shelters for men, women, families, the mentally ill, and for people dealing with su'stance a'use$ &omeward <ound sees the 'igger picture and not only has shelter for temporary homeless, 'ut also for those who need more time finding housing and a +o'$ &omeward 'ound provides numerous resources to assist individuals out of homelessness permanently$ -nother program that is owned 'y &omeward <ound hat helps the poor is The "ew <eginnings (enter$ >5cluding the 'uilding itself, everything from pencils to 'eds are donated 'y various private groups$ The center ta)es in homeless people who have lost their +o's and cannot afford to own a house, people who

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have had a family 'rea)up, people who have mismanaged their money and people with drug and alcohol pro'lems$ They have a *ero tolerance rule which ma)es it hard for those with drug and alcohol pro'lems 'ecause one mess up and your gone !&omeward <ound#$ 7nfortunately their aren@t more great resources li)e &omeward <ound and the "ew <eginnings (enter, then may'e we wouldn@t have such a huge homeless pro'lem$ ;hat can you and I doF -t the moment, the most effective wor) is 'eing done locally through religious and private entities providing services for the homeless !"(&#$Golunteering your time or donating to these efforts seems the 'est that can 'e done until the nation turns its eye on the least fortunate among us$

<ut no matter how many treatment centers we do have there will always 'e homeless people cause unfortunately, there is a segment of the homeless population who are not interested in improving their living situation$ They are content with e5isting on what little they can get from handouts on the streets, some will never change their ha'its and will end up dying on the streets$ !Song 4:.# Theoretical Eens: In this paper I mainly view this issue through structural functionalist Eens 'ecause the 'iggest pro'lem I found with all this is that the average person today doesn@t )now much a'out mental illnesses and don@t understand what these people are going through each and everyday$ "o one )nows how hard it is for

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them so a lot of times people stay away from people with mental illnesses and are 8uic) to +udge them$ 3eople need to reali*e that mental illness is a sic)ness +ust li)e the flu, you need medicine and care or you will never get 'etter and it will only get worse$ if people where to rather help then +udge right off the 'ac) +ust may'e they could help that person get off the streets$ "ot everyone chose to 'e homeless some are simply much more disadvantaged then the average person who can ma)e it$ So ne5t time that guy holding a sign on the corner as)ing for change don@t 'e to 8uic) to +udge 'ecause things might 'e harder then you )now it$ I +ust hope one day we will 'e a'le to give him real change$