Suport For The Homeless

Abstract

In the industrialized world, the United States is one of the most affluent nations. Yet, according to The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), approximately 700,000 to 800,000 individuals are homeless on any particular night. The paper will address the primary issues impacting the homeless population. First, this paper will discuss the impact of negative stigma on the homeless. Second, it will address who the homeless are. Third, it will discuss the role of human service providers as well as provide resources that will help individuals mitigate or prevent homelessness. Public understanding of who the homeless are varies just as widely as the circumstances surrounding the crisis itself. Individuals who do not have a permanent residence include families or individuals who are the working poor, unemployed, veterans, physically and mentally disabled persons, run away children, substance abusers, survivors of domestic violence and the poor and vulnerable elderly. With the problem of homelessness evident in the majority of U.S. communities, some of the main resources needed to address the issue are affordable housing in economically diverse neighborhoods, supportive employment, supportive educational programs and employment opportunities.

Introduction

The homeless encounter many problems in their lives. Some of the problems stem from lack of housing, loss of employment, addiction, the vulnerable elderly, mental illness, low socio-economic status, lack of or limited education, poor physical health, immigration status and escape from domestic violence. Foreclosure is another reason more people become homeless. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, (2009) stated that "40 percent of families facing eviction due to foreclosures are renters and 7 million households living on very low incomes are at risk of foreclosure" (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Poverty affects both individuals and families as they are unable to pay for food, healthcare, housing, transportation, and education. (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). These homeless individuals encounter obstacles in obtaining aid due to the fact they do not have an address.

Today, when we think of homelessness, the composition has changed from the man on skid row or random people living on the streets, to blue and white collar workers who have lost their jobs due to the current economy. These individuals or families are viewed as the "Invisible Homeless due to experiencing unforeseen circumstances" (HomeAid, 2009). For many, it is the first time experiencing homelessness. One scenario, a young man and his wife purchased a $300,000 house for the first time. This man had been working for a company five years in upper management until he was laid off two years after purchasing their home. Though he and his wife made concerted efforts to find any kind of jobs, they still could not find employment. As he could not make payments on his house, the bank foreclosed on their loan. Unfortunately, his car was also repossessed because he could not keep up with the payments. They even tried to apply for benefits, but could only receive food stamps. As a result of their "unforeseen circumstances" (HomeAid, 2009), they began searching for transitional shelters. Due to a lack of beds for married couples, each one had to live in separate shelters that were only for women' and only for men'. This story is a familiar scenario which applies to thousands of individuals and families throughout the country. Studies indicate that a significant number of homeless individuals found that emergency shelters and transitional housing accommodations were "filled to capacity or unavailable" (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).

A decline in public assistance adds to the equation. The Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program was replaced with a block grant program called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). In addition, there are more single parents raising their children that are unable to seek employment, therefore adding more burden of the TANF program which could only help a "third of the children that AFDC helped reach above the 50 percent poverty line" (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).

Other challenges affecting homelessness are people who come from different ethnicities and cultures. Culture and diversity are influenced by people's biases, perceptions and family background. These barriers include instilled beliefs learned by families and/or in their environmental settings. For example, there are many people from diverse backgrounds who live in rural areas making it difficult for them to seek transportation in attaining healthcare or social services. Also, a significant percentage of paroled criminal offenders and illegal immigrants all lack housing and resources to maintain their basic needs.

Composition of the Homelessness

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (2009) the composition of the homeless population is

estimated to be 42 percent African-American, 39 percent white, 13 percent

Hispanics, 4 percent Native American, and 2 percent Asian. It is estimated that 2

percent of the homeless are mentally ill, and 13 percent are individuals with

physical disabilities. Nineteen percent of single people are victims of domestic

violence while 13 percent are veterans and 2 percent are HIV positive (National

Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).

These statistics may be subject to a larger than conventional margin of error due to difficulty locating many homeless people.

Negative Perceptions of the Homeless

Stigma

Shier, Jones, & Graham (2010) state that "Negative public perspectives and stereotypes of homelessness is a significant issue that needs to be addressed to help eliminate stigma attached to people who are homeless and to the shelters that provide services" (p. 14). In the mid-20th century, the public had the perception that a homeless man was one who lived in "skid row districts" (Shier, et al., 2010, p. 14). However, sociological studies on homelessness perpetuated some stereotypes even earlier than the mid-20th century. (Shier. Et al., 2010, p. 14). It is evident that the stigma affects one's self-esteem and hesitance for them to seek assistance and support. Therefore, it is demonstrated