Mentally Ill and Homelessness

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

By Christel Ernstsen
Psychology 1010

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

In watching a documentary film by KUED based on the homelessness in Utah titled On

The Edge: Mental Health In Utah, I have a better understanding of the mental illness stigma that
is manifesting a lack of funding for programs to help mentally ill people, instead leading to
lifelong homelessness, and a revolving door that is recidivism. These are a few points on the
many problems with society's treatment of mental illness that came through as I watched this
documentary. On a more optimistic note, there are some programs for mentally ill people in Utah
that I will outline as well. Let's look at the downward spiral of stigmas and lack of funding.
A quote by Pete Earley Author from On The Edge: Mental Health In Utah " We want to
say you did something to deserve it, why do we want to say that, because if we realize that
these are diseases that means that anyone could get it, and that scares the hell out of us."
Stigmas are phobias which are anxiety inducing fear which to this cause we have placed these

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

fears on mental illness. We don't fully understand mental illness from lack of desire and basic
good knowledge. We see and hear stories of mentally ill people causing harm to others and
being dangerous. The emotion of fear in our bodies is action. Our body's responding that
something is about to harm us, elicits the flight or fight response. Flight being to flee and run
from the possible harm, fight being to stand up and physically attack the perceived danger. In
terms of society we have chosen flight, to run from mental illness instead of facing it head on,
fighting for the people who are dealing with actual mental harm. What is all this fear of mental
illness doing to those who are plagued by these diseases?
Stigma or this fear of mental illness has led us as a society to turn away from mental
illness. Not funding programs like community care to support people, instead allowing them to
be even more stigmatized and left out of society by becoming homeless. Mental illnesses are
very debilitating, making it almost impossible for many mentally ill to keep a job, have friends, or
even have family support. For example, some of the more debilitating aspects of mental illness
are; depression and anxiety, those who suffer from them can become like hermit crabs, never
leaving the house from lack of interest in the outside world, feelings that produce low selfesteem, worthlessness, helplessness, anxiety of the unknown, and what will happen to them if
they step outside their house. Bipolar, when the depressive disorder hits people are plagued by
sleeplessness, too much sleep, sluggish movements and actions, worthlessness, helplessness,
suicidal thoughts, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating. Schizophrenia a constant dialogue of
your life (hallucinations), nonsensical thoughts and speech. Schizophrenia is a deterioration of
the brain. With just a few examples of some of the symptoms that these diseases produce it's

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

easy to understand how difficult it would be to work and concentrate on any task let alone a job
that demands you think externally when you are fighting an internal battle. Friends often try to
help, sometimes the demand on their time and energy with little to no return, exhausts the
relationship. Family is usually the best support for people with mental illness. Though some
illnesses are so severe that attempting to treat them at home can be dangerous for the family.
Because of the excessive costs and few resources available, people with severe cases can and
do end up homeless. The cost of medications for many mentally ill is too high for them to afford.
The cost of medication for one family, Roger and Donna Marcotte On The Edge Mental Health
In Utah per month was $500. Costs like these often cause people to look outside of doctor
prescribed medications and to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
So what happens to the people who have a mental illness, with no support group and
who are self-medicating with drugs and alcohol? They end up in jail or prison, as quoted from
On The Edge Mental Health In Utah " 40% of adults with a chronic mental disorder end up in jail
or prison." With little to no mental hospitals and lack of funding for the mentally ill jail becomes
the defacto treatment centers. Often times when the mentally ill end up in jail they become
stabilized. Jail does offer some support such as counselors, educated on their illness, proper
medication, and a "home", some of their basic needs are met. When released from jail they are
left to sleep on the streets, no support and self-medicating again. This leads back to jail and an
endless in and out of the criminal system. It may seem like jail is a good place for the mentally ill
to be, as some of their needs are met, yet a mentally ill person may be the target of threats and
violence ( the fight response ) in jail or prison as they are different from everyone else. Jail and

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

prison are not good places to become fully stable, and independent. It is easy to read about all
the despondency we have evoked on the mentally ill, with that I will finish on brighter topics as to
not leave you with a heavy heart.
There are a few promising programs for the mentally ill who have been victims of jail
recidivism. There are two programs in particular Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and Jail
Diversion Outreach Team (JDOT). CIT is a program that provides training for police officers in
how to properly deal with a mentally ill person in a crisis situation. This training helps police
officers become educated on mental illness and to understand what a person with these
diseases is feeling and what is physically happening to them. Such an example would be, that
the police have the opportunity to listen through headphones to what it is like to have voice
hallucinations, while trying to perform daily tasks. This understanding and education helps
police be more caring and less scared when dealing with mentally ill people. CIT certified police
also conduct visits to those homeless mentally ill and mentally ill crisis situations to possible
provide help if they lawfully can. Sadly only about 12% of police are certified for CIT (On The
Edge: Mental Health In Utah). The next program JDOT, offers reoccurring offenders who are
mentally ill and homeless: housing, medication, frequent house visits (support) and on the call
24 hours 7 days a week support. This program has helped mentally ill homeless to stabilize and
become productive people. The frequency in which people return to jail has gone from 21% to
3% for those in the program (On The Edge: Mental Health In Utah). Though this program is
offering a lot to those in need, it is only offered in Salt Lake County with the ability to help 60
people lifelong.

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

Last of all, since 2005 Utah has reduced its population of chronic homelessness by 72%
(Day, J., ect., 2015) and by the end of this year by 91% that's a comparison of "2,000 people in
2005, to fewer than 200 now (Mcevers, K., 2015)". How has Utah accomplished the seemingly
impossible? In 2005 Utah came up with a 10 year plan to end homelessness called Housing
First Employment Second. This idea is based off of test research done by Sam Tsemberis in
1992 a psychologist at New York University(Bertrand, N.2015). Tsemberis test was to take
mentally ill homeless give them homes, free health care and counseling, of the "242 participants
5 years later 88% (Bertrand, N. 2015)" were still living in their housing. Utah's plan, give homes
to the homeless without any restrictions. As Lloyd Pendleton Utah's Homeless Task Force
director stated "Get chronic homeless into homes, then deal with the underlying issues like
addiction, physical ailments and mental illness"(Surowiecki, J. 2014). Once they find a job the
previously homeless residents are required to pay either $50 or 30% of their income which ever
one is greater a month. This program also helps with counseling, and providing food. Many
other states have tried something similar, yet they have not been as successful because they
require that you become substance free and remain so before you can be accepted for a
housing. The reason why requiring people to be free of such addictions before housing is not as
successful as Utah's no restrictions plan, comes down to human need . Based off of Maslow's
hierarchy of needs the need to quit an addiction is not has high as one of the most basic needs,
housing. Housing means so many things, stability, safety from the elements of outside and
predators, survival, privacy to be oneself. With the need of housing met, people are able to
move up the pyramid (Maslow's hierarchy) to other aspects of their lives that have grown

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

stagnant such as addiction, mental illness and physical ailment needs. To aid in the
successfulness of Utah's plan the cost of one homeless person per year was an average of
$20,000 the average cost of giving the homeless a home $8,000 a year. Housing first
employment second not only is it good for people but it is good for the state budget.
Hopefully now that Utah has a good program in place to help end homelessness, other
states will follow suite. The impact of helping end homelessness inevitably helps people with
mental illness. Although it is not a specific route in helping mental illness, this program Homes
First, Employment Second helps bridge the gap in health care availability for the mentally ill, by
finally providing the care and stability that they need to live a full life. The stigmas around mental
illness are negative on both sides of the pendulum. Making it difficult for people inflicted with
mental illness to live and receive proper care. For those so fearful of mental illness never
gaining the knowledge to fully understand people burdened by illness and the damage their fear
creates in society, both financially and emotionally.

Mentally Ill and Homelessness

Bibliography

1. Bertrand, N. (2015, February 19). Utah found a brilliantly effective solution for homelessness.
Retrieved December 13, 2015.
2. Day, J., Frost, P., Hartuigsen, A., Kohler, T., Pendleton, L., Quackenbush, K., Smith, M.,
Tolman, A. (2014, October 1). Comprehensive Report On Homelessness. Retrieved December
13, 2015.
3. Green, N., & Shaum, S. (Directors). (2013). On The Edge: Mental Health In Utah [Motion
picture]. United States Of America: Kued.
4. Mcevers, K. (2015, December 11). How Utah Reduced Chronic Homelesness By 91%; Here's
How. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
5. Surowiecki, J. (2014, September 22). Home Free? Retrieved December 13, 2015.