Homeless_in_America

Who are homeless people' Who is vulnerable according to age, gender, race, income and education' Let’s see how this affects individuals in this vulnerable population status of morbidity and health, in America. A homeless individual may be an individual who does not maintain a proper place to live. According to Title 42, Ch 119 of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a homeless individual is one who is unable or unwilling to achieve and maintain a positive, safe, and adequate housing and one who may lack the proper and adequate night-time place of residency. A homeless person may be considered more than a stereotype of one who is unemployed, maybe lazy and begs for money, food or a place to stay. These types of people may be standing on a nearby street corner asking for change from anyone that passes by them. There are two types of homeless people. One type of homeless person is a chronically homeless person. According to the American Homeless Population Statistics, “the chronically homeless individuals make up approx 23% of the homeless population. They are described as disabled persons who have been homeless for more than one year. The second set of a homeless person is the transitional homeless, who can be individuals or families who are without homes for a specific and generally shorter period of time. It can be said that families account for approximately 41% of America’s homeless. Mentally ill persons make up almost 25%, while on the other hand, veterans make up 23-40% of homelessness. The National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that children have become the largest segment of the population that would be affected by homelessness. According to the National Coalition for the homeless, in 2005, 41% of the people who were homeless were under the age of 18. Some homeless people could have been runaways, but most lived with their families or at least a sibling, sharing either a room at a home or living with relatives or family friends. Children in these situations are more likely to drop out of school early, they do worse academically, repeat a grade, and they have a much higher school absentee rate or may have learning problems. According to a study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the ideal of three meals a day is rarely met. Children and the elderly are particularly affected, particularly in those areas where food stamps or soup kitchens have restrictions that these people cannot overcome. The larger percentage of the homeless is the single men by 47%. Their reasoning for this is usually much different than those of homeless women. Single women make up 13% of the homelessness population and are often on the streets as a result of domestic abuse. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, homeless women are less likely to live on the streets for extended periods of time, instead looking for refuge in shelters or half-way houses. Causes of homelessness, according to a 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, complied by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that there were 643,067 homeless people on an average January night in the U.S. Causes may fall under the following: • Poverty-low wages leave little money to pay bills and housing. • Financial Crisis-According to Robert McNamara, more than 5 million families use greater than 50% of their income on housing alone. • Divorce- can cause a person temporarily homeless with less income to pay rent. • Mental illness-According to National Mental Health Information Center, people with untreated mental illness is at risk because it makes keeping a job difficult. • Drug Addiction-it destroys the support systems and relationships, and it is extremely expensive. • Veterans- they are at risk because of physical disabilities accrued in war and mental health issues resulting from war such as PTSD. • Youth-make up 30% of children in foster care is more likely to become homeless as adults. • Tragedy-some suffered serious personal loss that they were unable to cope with at this time in their life. • Disasters-Fire, mudslide, hurricane, tornado and flooding are some types of disasters that can take a person’s home. • Domestic Violence-has become the second most common cause of homelessness for women. Often we assume that homeless people are drug addicts or alcoholics. Not all homeless persons are alcoholics or drug addicts. According to the article "Homeless people & drugs" studies done by America’s Department of Veterans Affairs found that 70% of the homeless veterans were addicts. According to the article About Homeless People & Drugs, drugs produce some powerful functions for a homeless person. First, it makes them feel warm and often eliminates their hunger for food. Secondly, drugs and alcohol make a person feel as if they are in charge. Drugs also make one feel as if they are escaping from reality. Also, homeless will use alcohol or drugs as painkillers rather than to get high because they cannot afford proper medications. There are many ways to help those who are homeless. There are several ways in which we may help people who are homeless. To list some would be: • to have housing vouchers, • providing education for those who want to change, • support job programs to help those acquire job skills and find jobs, • community and government action to help support them with their needs to get on their feet. Other ways to help is to volunteer at shelters for homeless, help those who are in those places, be respectful to those who encounter and do not consider them as second-class citizens. Contact organizations whom may be able to assist these individuals. There are many types of organizations in society today that can help homeless people. There are the nonprofit homeless advocacy coalitions, emergency and transitional shelters, church groups, meal sites, government agencies, student-run organizations, housing advocacy coalitions and medical and outreach groups. Morbidity and mortality rate is much higher among the homeless people. They have a lower life expectancy than could be expected on the basis of low income alone. This study shows that homeless and marginally housed people living in shelters, rooming houses, and hotels have much higher mortality and shorter life expectancy than could be expected on the basis of low income alone, they conclude. Who are affected by the homelessness' Family, children, men, women, young and old are all affected by homelessness. What can be done about it' We as American citizens can pull together and help these people find their way in life and help give them a boost with a helping hand without making them feel degraded.