Category: Homelessness

The underlying reasons for homelessness emanate from numerous social and economic sources such as poverty caused by unemployment or poor paying jobs, a deficit of affordable housing, and the lack of services for those who suffer from domestic violence, mental illness, and substance abuse. It is these and other factors that contribute to homelessness, a condition that is seldom a choice for people who must live outside the comfort and security of a home environment. This discussion will examine the homelessness issue including why and what type of people become homeless. It will also review agencies and programs offering assistance to individuals and families living on the street.

Thanks to recent public awareness campaigns by private and government agencies such as the National Coalition for the Homeless and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development respectively, long-standing societal stereotypes of the homeless are gradually evaporating. Images of creatively clothed white-bearded old men leaning against an alley wall clutching a bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag have morphed into a family living in their car or a single mother and her children living in a shelter. The estimated half a million children that, at any one time, is homeless in America and their mothers represent the fastest growing segment of the homeless population (Face 2007). According to current research conducted on homeless shelters, single males comprise forty-five percent and single females fifteen percent of the estimated two million homeless in America. Forty percent of the homeless population is comprised of families and a third of them are single parents with children (Face 2007).

It is a misconception that most homeless persons prefer that horrific lifestyle after having adjusted to it. Studies show that ninety-four percent of those without a home certainly would not choose to live this way another day if they had an alternative. Another common fallacy regarding the homeless is that they made poor decisions thus are culpable for their fate. In addition to the large percentage of children that are homeless, many others are victims of their circumstances as well. Some veterans suffer from mental and physical disabilities resulting from combat and cannot maintain a normal existence. Others were abused as children or raised in homelessness. Still, others fell victims to the addiction of drugs and alcohol which decimated their working and family life. Some have become unemployable for various reasons or can find only menial jobs after being laid-off from a high-paying position. All homeless are victims in the sense that they do not have a place to call home (Facts and Myths, 2007).

Twenty-five percent of homeless women are in this demeaning and dangerous situation because they are escaping violence in the home. Predictably, this is not the case for men as only an insignificant percentage cite family violence as the main reason for their homeless condition. Unemployment is mens most often answered response and the second most for women. (Women and Men, 2001). Other than family violence and to lesser extent unemployment, the differences between the stated causes for their homelessness are statistically equal for men and women. A similar segment of both genders cited drug and alcohol abuse, prolonged illnesses or disabilities, and reaching the limits of federal assistance for their homelessness to the same degree. Recent studies and public exposure have helped displace popular gender misconceptions regarding the main cause of homelessness. One of the most prevalent was that a higher percentage of men were homeless as a result of alcohol and/or drug abuse. The two genders become homeless for essentially the same reasons and to a similar extent outside of the extra cross women must bear, domestic violence (Women and Men 2001).

Health issues, both physical and psychological, often negatively affect a homeless persons re-entry into society. Health care services for the homeless are intrinsically inadequate. Persons without homes seldom possess credit cards or even have bank accounts. Those that are homeless have numerous, multifaceted needs, particularly if they have been forced to sleep outside during their ordeal. The number and extent of the problems homeless persons endure only compound over time. It is financially advantageous for the public and politicians to solve the problem. Helping to take someone off the streets and place them back into mainstream society allows them to contribute to the economy rather than continuing to rely on public assistance (Wallace & Quilgars, 2005). Though there are examples of agencies that offer innovative services and have greatly improved the lives of the homeless, the problem surpasses what resources the private sector and government combined are presently directing towards it and this imbalance is growing along with the homeless population.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers four programs to help the homeless. Emergency Shelter Grants provides support services and shelter for homeless persons. It also provides monetary assistance intended to prevent a family from losing their home in the first place including short-term utility bills, rent, and mortgage payment assistance for those in imminent danger of losing their house. The Continuum of Care program helps communities to reduce their homeless population by offering a wide range of options including permanent, transitory, or emergency housing to those in need. HUD believes the best approach for alleviating homelessness is through a community-based process that provides a comprehensive response to the different needs of homeless persons (Resource Guide, 2007). HUD also operates the Single Room Occupancy and The Shelter Plus Care programs which provide additional services.

The Family & Youth Services Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families operates the Basic Center Program which helps communities fund shelters and free meal centers while establishing programs that serve the needs of homeless, exploited, and missing children. The Transitional Living and Street Outreach programs targets youths age 16 to 21, the at-risk group for homelessness. Other federal benefit programs include Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Veterans Affairs Compensation, Veterans Affairs Health Care, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, One-Stop Career Center System and State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (Resource Guide, 2007). A bill that would have expanded the SCHIP program was vetoed by President Bush this week but is likely to be re-introduced with some possible compromises. The federal government mandates that homeless children be allowed entry and will be appropriately accommodated by public schools, no matter the circumstance.

The resolve of the public and therefore politicians to abolish homelessness will determine how many men, women, and children, most blameless victims of circumstance, will continue to suffer the wretched and humiliating condition of homelessness. Of course, enacting legislation alone will not lessen the number of homeless. Adequate resources must be allocated to produce additional affordable housing units by creating, restructuring, or improving collaborative efforts between homelessness agency services in the public and private sectors. If these agencies can effectively prevent the instances of homelessness before the actual event as well as to adapt to various challenges facing those currently without a permanent residence, such as the Continuum of Care program, the goal of abolishing homelessness will be closer to becoming a reality.

Works Cited

Do women and men have different reasons to become homeless? Texas Homeless Network. (2001). Web.

Face of Homelessness. City Rescue Mission of Saginaw. (2007). Web.

Facts and Myths about the Homeless. A Place to Call Home. (2007). Web.

Federal Homelessness Resource Guide. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2007). Web.

Wallace A. & Quilgars, D. Homelessness and Financial Exclusion: A Literature Review. London: Friends Provident/London Housing Foundation, (2005). Web.

The concept of homelessness faces several misconceptions about the social status, mental health, and social belonging of the beggars. There are some myths concerning the sense of place of homeless people. It is believed that people become homeless not because of social constraints that prevent them from finding a place of employment and earning shelter but only because of their mental condition. The current paper discusses the issue of housing market insecurity to disprove this myth.

Homelessness has a wide range of causes, and each case is individual and dissimilar to all others. Nevertheless, while some scholars suppose that peoples characteristics are the reason for it, others claim that the problem lies in the low-income housing shortage (Timmer et al. 18). The point of concern is that the housing market, particularly in the United States, does not have enough low-cost living space that is affordable to the economical marginals and people with low income.

The cause of this situation is economic instability. Timmer et al. reckon that the inflations of the 1980s became a driver for the current situation (18). According to Timmer et al., the cost of housing rose dramatically while the income remained at the same pre-inflationary level (18). The rising number of homeless people not only in the USA but also in Europe proves the idea mentioned above.

The point of the impact of housing prices on the causes of homeless is debatable. It could be argued that the critical driver of the inability to purchase a dwelling is not the high housing prices, but people failing to be employed or earn enough. Homeless people are often unemployed because of their drug or alcohol addiction, low qualifications, lack of desire to find a job, and change life. There are claims that homelessness is a personal choice of people who do not want to be a part of society. They are a part of the homeless world; they socialize more with people of the same social status, and they do not believe that changes are possible.

Nevertheless, unemployment and low salaries have another explanation, and are not always connected with the individual believes of homeless people. Jones et al., in the article, show that even people who have a working place could suffer from housing insecurity (121). He calls the situation when employed people could not escape poverty in-work homelessness (Jones et al. 121). The inference is based on interviews with people deprived of living conditions above the minimal rate.

Such a phenomenon occurs when people, even with a full-time regular job, do not get enough money to pay the rental fees. Moreover, they are not able to rent a room and save some money to purchase their housing later (Jones et al. 126). Consequently, due to the small wage, employees do not risk changing their job for a better one because they have no money in case their attempt fails.

To conclude, the crisis of the housing market in combination with the inability of the policymakers to provide full employment and a decent salary rate are the causes of homelessness. However, the role of individual characteristics still could not be denied. People gain addictions and mental illness after being homeless for a while, and those addictions help them to escape reality. Nevertheless, the economic causes of homelessness have many more justifications over the recent period than miscaptions about the psychological well-being of the people who have no permanent shelter.

Thus, the belief that people are homeless because they identify themselves with a social group of those who are deprived of a place of constant living, and because they have some physical diseases is more a misconception than truth. The housing market crisis, in combination with meager salaries, unemployment, and lack of access to social lifts provide a ground for homelessness.

Works Cited

Timmer, Doug A., et al. Paths to homelessness: Extreme poverty and the urban housing crisis. Routledge, 2019.

Jones, Katy, et al. Working and homeless: exploring the interaction of housing and labour market insecurity. Social Policy and Society, vol. 19, no.1, 2020, pp. 121-132.

In their randomized controlled trial, Pinsker et al. (2018) explored trends in self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges in homeless individuals with a smoking habit. Pinsker et al. (2018) point out that the levels of self-efficacy and the severity of smoking urges change significantly during the smoking cessation treatment. This observation renders measuring self-efficacy and smoking urges at a single point practically inefficient. Therefore, the questions that the study asks are as follows:

1. How do smoking characteristics such as smoking urges, self-efficacy to quit, self-efficacy to abstain from smoking, and confidence to quit change over the course of therapy?
2. How do such factors as the treatment group, age, gender, and race impact the trends in smoking characteristics in homeless smokers?

Pinsker et al. (2018) recruited 430 participants from eight emergency shelters and transitional sites located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, between May 2009 to August 2010. Eligibility criteria were current homelessness and having resided in the Twin Cities for at least half a year. Smokers were defined as individuals who were smoking at least one cigarette per day during the previous week and had smoked at least one-hundred cigarettes over their lifetime.

Apart from that, participants needed to be of age: 18 years or older, willing to use nicotine patches for eight weeks, and ready to partake in counseling sessions. Pinsker et al. (2018) excluded pregnant women, individuals with serious intellectual impairment and suicidal ideation, and those who were adhering to some other tobacco cessation aid. Homeless individuals with serious medical issues and psychotic symptoms were not eligible for participating in the study. Pinsker et al. (2018) made sure to obtain informed consent from all participants.

At the beginning of the study, participants were randomized and assigned to control and intervention groups. Participants in both groups were receiving similar smoking cessation aid: 21 mg nicotine patches for eight weeks.

The only difference between the two groups was that participants that were subject to intervention also received individual counseling sessions. The said sessions lasted for 15-20 minutes each and focused on accountability promotion, positive encouragement, and nicotine replacement therapy adherence. The counseling of control participants was limited to a one-time group advice session that lasted 10-15 minutes. Pinsker et al. (2018) measured the aforementioned smoking characteristics at one, two, four, six, and eight weeks; a follow-up was administered at 26 weeks after the start of the treatment.

Intrinsic and extrinsic self-efficacy to refrain from smoking were evaluated at the beginning of the study, after week eight, and week 26, using the Smoking Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The two kinds of efficacies were measured by presenting twelve situations with intrinsic and extrinsic triggers (for example: feeling depressed vs. being around people who smoke). The confidence to quit was assessed by asking participants to describe their determination and intent on a scale from one to ten.

Lastly, Pinsker et al. (2018) employed the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief) to understand the nature of smoking urges in participants. Later, the researchers used general linear models with unstructured covariance patterns to compare the results. Intrinsic and extrinsic self-efficacy in both control and intervention participants increased throughout the treatment. Racial minorities showed better results than their white counterparts and expressed more confidence to quit.

The internal validity of a study evaluates to which extent collected evidence supports the initial claim. Confirming internal validity requires the assessment of many aspects such as sampling, setup, and outcome comparisons. Regarding sampling, Pinsker et al. (2018) do not explain the randomization procedure used for their study. The only fact that is known to the reader is that the patients indeed were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups.

The lack of detailed explanation might be a threat to validity due to the unclarity of the method. Further, it is not exactly clear whether the groups (control and intervention) were similar at the start of the trial. The only explanation that Pinsker et al. (2018) provide is the same eligibility and exclusion criteria mentioned above. However, it is impossible to tell whether the groups represented gender, races, and ages equally after randomization.

Since Pinsker et al. (2018) wanted to pinpoint the effect of smoking counseling on smoking homeless participants, they needed to adjust all other treatment factors. It is said that both control and intervention participants were receiving nicotine replacement therapy (21 mg nicotine patches for eight weeks). Besides, the schedule for measurements was the same: one, two, four, six, and eight weeks during the intervention and a follow-up at the 26th week since the beginning of the research. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that both groups were treated equally, safe for the tested intervention.

Pinsker et al. (2018) do not state exactly how many people decided to leave the study at each stage and how many people made it to the follow-up at week 26. The only piece of information that the researchers provide is that after the fourth week, they could not access as many as 25% of the data. Pinsker et al. (2018) made the best out of the data available and did not input any values for those participants who had left the study. However, the researchers made some assumptions that might as well be dubious: for instance, they assumed that all the participants for whom there was no data available were smokers by week 26. On the other hand, Pinsker et al. (2018) acknowledged that the missing information was a significant limitation, which they mentioned in the discussion section.

The study was not double-blinded: both the researchers and the participants were aware of the treatment allocation. The researchers had to know the distinction between the control and intervention groups because they administered different types of counseling depending on the belongingness. Those in the control group only received standard care, as in one group advice session. Those in the intervention group were eligible for individual sessions. Since the outcome is subjective (smoking characteristics concern psychological concepts such as confidence and self-efficacy), the blinding of the outcome is critical.

93% of participants in both control and intervention groups did not quit smoking by the end of the trial (week 26). Pinsker et al. (2018) do not comment on whether the treatment groups showed different performance, therefore, it is assumed that the rate of cessation was equal for both control and intervention participants (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2017). Therefore, the relative risk can be calculated as RR = 0.93/0.93 = 1, which shows that treatment had no effect.

Drawing on this computation, ARR (Absolute Risk Reduction) = 0.97  0.97 = 0.00 or 0% and RRR (Relative Risk Reduction) = 1  1 = 0. NTT is impossible to calculate because it would require division by zero. Hence, this studys findings do not allow for making predictions as to how many years it would take for the intervention to be fully effective. The estimated effect was fairly precise as it employed confidence intervals (CI) at 95%. The values corresponding to the zero effect fell well outside the 95% CI, which implies that the result was statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

The major difference between my patients and the study participants is that Pinsker et al. (2018) recruited homeless people while I do not handle this demographic all that much in my practice. I believe that homelessness affects motivation, self-efficacy, and confidence significantly, which implies that the treatment of this type of patient should differ from those who have more stability in their lives. Upshur et al. (2015) and Deck and Platt (2015) state that homelessness can be seen as psychologically traumatizing. This, in turn, may be associated with lower levels of motivation, impaired long-term planning, and continuous psychological distress. Therefore, I am convinced that the counseling methods chosen by Pinsker et al. (2018) may only apply to the homeless.

The treatment is feasible in my setting as it requires medium organizational effort and minimal equipment (nicotine patches, phones, and computers). The biggest challenge that healthcare workers at my place may encounter is similar to the one faced by Pinsker et al. (2018): patients inability to adhere to the full course of treatment. Generally, nicotine replacement therapy is considered a safe choice; the same is valid for individual and group counseling (Wadgave & Nagesh, 2016). However, Lee and Farris (2017) show that nicotine patches can have some adverse effects such as nausea, itchiness, soreness, and headache. Based on these facts and observations, it is safe to conclude that the study by Pinsker et al. (2018) has limited applicability.

References

Deck, S. M., & Platt, P. A. (2015). Homelessness is traumatic: Abuse, victimization, and trauma histories of homeless men. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24(9), 1022-1043. Web.

Lee, P. N., & Fariss, M. W. (2017). A systematic review of possible serious adverse health effects of nicotine replacement therapy. Archives of Toxicology, 91(4), 1565-1594. Web.

LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber, J. (2017). Nursing research-E-book: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Pinsker, E. A., Hennrikus, D. J., Erickson, D. J., Call, K. T., Forster, J. L., & Okuyemi, K. S. (2018). Trends in self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges among homeless smokers participating in a smoking cessation RCT. Addictive Behaviors, 78, 43-50. Web.

Upshur, C., Weinreb, L., Bharel, M., Reed, G., & Frisard, C. (2015). A randomized control trial of a chronic care intervention for homeless women with alcohol use problems. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 51, 19-29. Web.

Wadgave, U., & Nagesh, L. (2016). Nicotine replacement therapy: An overview. International Journal of Health Sciences, 10(3), 425. Web.

Every year, there are an estimated 1.6 million homeless youth in the United States. Some stay on the street for few days, while others have been living on the streets for more than a year (Feliciano, 2009). It is estimated that the number of youth thats permanently homeless is over 200,000. These youths live an exceedingly difficult, dangerous life marked with numerous health problems. According to the National Coalition for Homeless every year over 5,000 teenagers succumb to HIV/AIDS (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008).

Homeless youth face many challenges on the streets (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008).Most of these youths have limited legal means through which they can make money to meet their day to day needs. Sex then becomes a commodity that increases chance of survival in the street. Its for these reasons that many homeless youth result to exchanging sex for shelter, drugs, clothing and food. This practice put many of these youths at a greater risk of contracting AIDS or HIV-related illnesses (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008)

Based on a study carried out by the National Network for youth in 2009, 5 percent of homeless youths are infected with HIV/AIDS nationwide. State based studies range from as low as 2 percent to as high as 20 percent of homeless youth. (Dennis, 2007). In Francisco for example, one study found that approximately 17 percent of homeless youths were infected with HIV/AIDS. The rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence is 2 to 10 times higher than the rates reported for other samples of adolescents in the United States (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008)

Homeless youths, whose lives are deeply rooted in the street culture, are at a greater risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. In Hollywood for example, 29 percent of homeless male youths and 33 percent of homeless female youth had at one time in their lives contracted sexually transmitted disease. Most of these youths begin active sexual activities at a very young age; they have multiple sex partners and are constantly sexually abused. Studies carried out in the city of New York in 2008 showed that 21 percent of homeless youth males and 24 percent of homeless female youths had more than 100 lifetime partners (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). Figures from country-wide studies also show that approximately 76 percent of homeless youth are sexually active compared to 48 percent of all United States adolescents (Feliciano, 2009).

Studies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that only less than 30 percent of homeless youth use condoms on regular basis. These increase the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other STDs. The studies also showed that shows that most of the homeless youths have sex under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Forced sex has also been shown to be a major cause of increased cases of HIV/AIDS. In Baltimore for example, one study showed that 26 percent of homeless youths had at one time been forced to have sex.

There are approximately 1.6 million homeless youths in the United States. 5 percent of homeless youths are infected with HIV/AIDS. In some States the percentage of homeless youth infected with HIV/AIDS is as high as 17%. 76 percent of homeless youths are sexually active. Only Less that 30 percent of homeless youths use condoms on regular basis. Most of them engage in sexual activity under alcohol and drug influence while some are forced into having unsafe sex. These behavior increases the risk of HIV/AIDS.

Works Cited

Dennis, D. Toward Understanding Homelessness:The 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research. Web.

Feliciano, M. (2009). Program Assistance Letter: Understanding the Health Care Needs of Homeless Youth. Web.

National Coalition for the Homeless. (2008). Homeless Youth. Web.

Abstract

Homelessness is a common problem with severe consequences that those affected face. This laboratory experiment aimed to understand this issue better by analyzing the experience of those affected. The study used the Grounded Theory Approach, where qualitative data from selected case studies was used. A total of eight people who found themselves homeless for various reasons were analyzed. Inducting reasons where each case was explicitly analyzed and the commonalities among these cases drawn when making conclusions were used. It was found that there was a high correlation between challenges a victim faces when young, like abuse, economic hardships, divorce and being homeless. The results of this study were supported by previous research that found a high correlation between childhood difficulties and homelessness. The limitation of this study is that no quantitative data analysis was conducted. Therefore, further study should be conducted to find the causes of homelessness among people using a mixed-method approach.

Summary

Many forces influence homelessness, most of which are collaborative by nature. According to Rukmana (2020), many planning scholars view homelessness as a factor in housing problems. The argument is that a decrease in affordable housing units has forced family members and friends to live together while others have been pushed out to the streets. Sociologists, on the other hand, believe that social forces, including addictions, poor economic conditions, mental health problems, and family issues compounded together, contribute mainly to homelessness (Peterie et al., 2020; Ghosh, 2019). Most people consider homelessness a severe problem that governments should address (Tsai et al., 2018). Statistics show that the number of homeless people continues to increase by 2% between 2019 and 2020 (Heimer et al., 2020). People experiencing homelessness are one of the most vulnerable in society (Kaur et al., 2021). However, governments struggle to deal with homelessness since it is hard to define, resulting in uncertainties when implementing policies. Therefore, relevant stakeholders should understand what factors contribute to homelessness if they are to have control over it.

This study used a qualitative research design where the affected parties were encouraged to discuss their problem using open-ended questions. Qualitative research is essential to figure out something because it addresses a given phenomenon, why, and when (Haradhan, 2018). Qualitative research explores concepts and provides meaning to phenomena, while qualitative research uses numbers and statistics to apprehend scenarios. Qualitative research opens the room for quantitative analysis, which deals with mathematical and statistical models to understand behavior. Therefore, after this study is conducted, further study will need to confirm the qualitative results obtained here using quantitative methods. The main aim of this study will be to explore the causes of homelessness and see if different cases are interrelated.

Method

Participants

A total of 57 case studies were analyzed in this research. The case studies were included if the participant was homeless at any point in their lives. To be included, the participant also had to prove that they understood what caused their homelessness.

Materials

The case materials were obtained from a collection of case studies in the following link.

Procedure

The Grounded theory approach and inductive reasoning was used to develop the theme under discussion and better explain how people end up homeless. This was done by reading each case study and recording why they were homeless. The main reasons for homelessness were then compared, and similarities were identified. These similarities were used to create a theme for the lab experiment. Data in this procedure was conducted until saturation, a condition where no further insights could be drawn (Saunders et al., 2018). Prior studies and experiments did not influence this collection and analysis.

Results

The case studies that showed substantive evidence for a clear cause for homelessness were included in the lab experiment and analyzed using inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning was used to identify an iterative theme contributing to the problem under analysis. It was discovered that the theme of poverty was evident in all the case studies that fit the inclusion criteria. Poverty, in this case, was defined as the inability of a person to afford essential commodities such as food, shelter, and clothing. People from low-income families were also more susceptible to other factors contributing to homelessness, such as domestic violence and drug abuse.

Poverty was demonstrated in fourteen-year-old Ella, who, after running from her home in Kings Cross, had to rely on a drug dealer for protection. When the dealer got tired of using her for sex, he issued her an ultimatum to pay back the debt in three days or go to work in a brothel to work off the debt [Ella,3,6,2]. When Ella could not pay the drug dealer, she had to run away to avoid being forced into prostitution. Ellas story is like Stephanies, who, after leaving her home, was unable to find a job and ended up relying on an abusive man for financial protection. The man later left her with a child, and she had no other option but to live with her three-year-old daughter in a car [Stephanie, 9,1,1]. Likewise, Shane was brought up by drug addicts and had to endure poverty. At 14, Shane left home and started living on the streets [Shane,11,3,3]. In this case, although alcoholism and drug use contributed to homelessness, the precedent for homelessness was poverty.

Analysis showed specific trends and behaviors that people from poor backgrounds were likely to show, all related to one eventually being homeless. These behaviors include sexual and physical abuse by the guardian, drug use, health-related problems, and criminal actions. Sexual abuse is demonstrated in Rebeccas story when her mother found a new partner who raped her regularly and abused her sister too. One day Rebecca told her mother, You have to get rid of this guy; either he goes or I go [Rebecca, 1, 1, 5]. The mother opted for the husband, so Rebecca had to go out and endure being homeless. Physical abuse was demonstrated in Erins case, who said First my stepdad was a child molester, and my mom seems to think that is fuckin okay or something [Erin,67,1,2]. Therefore, she found him totally out of control, and at the age of fourteen left home only to become homeless.

Poverty resulting in homelessness could be caused by drug and substance abuse. Andy had more money, and at 27, he became addicted to heroin, penniless and going to prison [Andy,46,1,2]. Andy returned to normal, but drugs made him unable to afford housing again at 31. Anitra states that it took over 40 years before he was diagnosed to be manic depressive [Anitra,18,1,1]. She explains that people did not know she had a health problem; therefore, her inability to keep a job made her rely on a friend for accommodation. When the friend had some family members coming to visit, Anitra said she was okay and would be able to afford accommodation. Unfortunately, as she explains, she wasted the money and found herself homeless. Criminal actions were exhibited in Teresas story, which narrates that she pulled a knife in the house [Teresa,23,1,1], and police were called to arrest her. In the few months that followed, the parents continued to call the police to arrest her whenever she committed a minor crime, and therefore, she opted to leave the house.

Although all these types of abuses differed, they all could be linked to poverty and contribute to homelessness. As the case studies prove, both males and females were affected by poverty, although the youth were more likely to go homeless as a result of poverty in comparison to adults. Homelessness left the victims feeling unworthy, needing to use drugs, in pain, and lacking the motivation to live. Elle states that as a homeless girl, she had to use drugs because when she was high, all her worries slipped away [Elle,3,9,1]. Shane states,  to escape the pain of being homeless, and he started using alcohol [Shane,11,3,1]. Most of the victims in the case study, however, got help and got shelters. Data saturation occurred after all eight cases were identified and analyzed, and no further insights and themes could be identified by looking at more cases.

Discussion

This study aimed to understand the leading cause of homelessness from the perspective of those affected. Through using inductive reasoning, the study found the tentative theme that causes homelessness among many people in poverty. Several reasons contributed to the participants homelessness in all cases, and all identified the main reason. This study found four main reasons for homelessness: abuse by family and relatives, drug addiction, poverty, and health issues. This finding was supported by many other recent studies on related issues, i.e. (Steen, 2018; Radcliff et al., 2019; Rukmana., 2020; Susser et al., 2021; Timmer et al., 2019). All other main reasons that did not fit into this category were classified as others. The fact that poverty is the leading cause of homelessness was confirmed in the eight case studies analyzed (Beard, 2020; Giano et al., 2019). However, these previous studies used data from one particular region, mainly the United States, while the current study utilized case studies from different parts of the world.

As previously discussed, the factors leading to homelessness are interactive. The respondents, whose main reason was joblessness and poverty, confessed to having drug and mental issues. There was also a confirmation of the arguments that joblessness contributed to the significant five personality trait changes since those affected also experienced mental health issues (Giano et al., 2019). Drug use was also identified among the major factors contributing to homelessness.

Other factors were also found to contribute to homelessness in the eight case studies. These included Jail time, eviction, family problems, house fires, divorce, death, and relocation, among others. Six of the participants listed these other factors to be the main reason why they were homeless. The case studies show that becoming homeless is a continuous process influenced by many choices. There have been many studies conducted that support the findings of this paper. Stone et al. (2018) found that cognitively impaired people were more likely to be homeless. Nilsson et al. (2019) found 116 predictors for people to be homeless, among them those discovered in this study. Qualitative research in this study also found that a person was more likely to be homeless due to difficulties in their teenage years. It is, therefore, essential for the relevant stakeholders to ensure this demographic is well protected.

Both private and public institutions need to know how to deal with housing shortages so that poor people can access affordable housing. The finding in this lab report has implications for the overall well-being of many individuals, especially the youth from low-income families. The case studies show that adequate shelters are available for homeless people, but most residents hate living there. Therefore, measures should be put in place to ensure that people living in camps for homeless people are made capable of working and affording their housing. Furthermore, intervention measures should be put in place to ensure that all people, especially those from poor backgrounds, are protected from physical abuse, which makes people relocate without planning.

Although this research provides much insight into what causes homelessness, it has its limitations. The first limitation is that the case studies were conducted in the form of interviews, and the interviewers could have influenced the direction of the responses. Secondly, participants were asked to respond to what caused them to be homeless, and personal biases could have influenced their answers. Thirdly, since being homeless is not something a person is proud of, the response could have been biased to blame another person for their troubles when they were the main problem. It would have been better for the victim to be interviewed in the perpetrators presence for this error to be corrected. The person to conduct the interview will be used as the moderator.

It can be argued that a future study that uses a mixed-method approach would be necessary based on the depth and nature of the topic. This would mean that quantitative data will support the qualitative data found in this or similar studies. It would also be good for the researchers to use the traditional deductive reasoning method, where a hypothesis is formulated and research is conducted to find whether it is true. This method would use questionnaires designed with the Likert point scale where a scale of 1-4 would be used with one strongly disagree and four strongly agree. When dealing with quantitative data, the Likert scale presents several advantages, including easy drawing conclusions, results, and graphs from the respondents (Henninger & Plieninger, 2020). Therefore, analysts and statisticians would have data that is quantifiable, thus making it easy to do descriptive statistics and generate visualizations for relevant users.

References

Beard, V. (2020). COVID-19: Poverty, housing, homelessness  A broad view and a picture from West Michigan. Papers.ssrn.com. Web.

Ghosh, S. (2019). Understanding homelessness in Neoliberal City: A study from Delhi.Journal of Asian and African Studies, 55(2), 285297. Web.

Haradhan, M. (2018). Qualitative research methodologies in social sciences and related subjects.Journal of Economic Development, Environment, and People, 7(1), 2348. Web.

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The changing social, political, and political dynamics of Australia have resulted in numerous challenges that make it impossible for many people to achieve their objectives in life, including homelessness, violence, and criminal acts. The current demographics and forces of gentrification have triggered additional transformations in many neighborhoods across the country. Every region, city, and the urban area has an increasing number of homeless people than ever before. The Australian government and other key stakeholders need to examine the nature of this societal problem and implement appropriate social support systems to either shelter or reintegrate these individuals back into their respective societies.

Background

Homelessness remains a major social issue facing Australian society. Pawson et al. (2018) indicate that this predicament has worsened since cities and neighborhoods that never had destitute persons have continued to record increased numbers. According to the latest report by the government, around 8,200 citizens were identified to be homeless in 2016 (Falzon, 2019). The study went further to reveal that around 35 percent of the individuals lacked shelter completely (Falzon, 2019). Over the years, 0.4 percent of the countrys total population has remained homeless although the relevant agencies and institutions have been involved to empower more people and make it easier for them to achieve their economic goals (Falzon, 2019). Pawson et al. (2018) believe that the situation might get out of control unless appropriate initiatives are conceived or put in place. Most of the affected children will lack food or other essentials in life, including clean water, basic parental care. They tend to have increased chances of recording poor health outcomes. This form of problem exposes them to violence, abuse, and criminal acts. Such attributes explain why evidence-based advice or opinion is essential towards tackling this social problem.

Personal Opinion

The reality of homelessness in one of the advanced countries in the world today remains contentious and laughable. Australia has one of the best educational, social welfare, health, and military systems aimed at protecting the citizens and making it easier for them to focus on their dreams. Unfortunately, different agencies have ignored the nature of this predicament and how it affects the economic outcomes of many people (Pawson et al., 2018). It remains distressing for stakeholders to watch poor human beings suffer due to the governments inability to alleviate or prevent their pains. It would, therefore, be appropriate for all stakeholders to examine the nature of this issue and apply superior measures to address it.

The government has been implementing several initiatives to overcome the challenge of homeless in this country. Unfortunately, its actions appear to deliver poor results due to the model it adopts. The inclusion of all key actors in this issue is an evidence-based approach whereby a multifaceted team will focus on the true causes of homelessness (Pawson et al., 2018). This knowledge will guide some of the best practices to encourage parents to take good care of the children and provide the relevant supplies or resources. Such a strategy will empower and prepare them for additional tasks in their lives.

The relevant authorities and departments in this country can begin by addressing some of the causes of inequality that have undermined the integrity of the entire society for many decades. Falzon (2019) acknowledges that an inclusive community is essential since all people find it easier to pursue their social and economic goals without prejudice or discrimination. They will receive high-quality education and start their businesses successfully in their respective neighborhoods. This form of empowerment will minimize the gap between the rich and the poor in every Australian society. The level of social mobility will increase and eventually ensure that only a small number of citizens become homeless.

The government needs to take additional measures to analyze and examine how disillusionment, poor economic attainment, and poor social integration contribute to homelessness. For example, Pawson et al. (2018) indicate that most of the welfare programs do not meet the unique needs of veterans and the elderly. These individuals are usually unable to work and to support themselves and their families. They also find it hard to provide the relevant support to their children or eventually begin to use illicit drugs. These forces work synergistically to force more citizens to become homeless. The consideration of these issues can trigger a paradigm shift and eventually meet the needs of more people.

The relevant authorities need to consider the role of rapid re-housing to address the challenges of those who are already homeless. Such a strategy means that those who lack shelter are identified and provided with permanent or semi-permanent structures. The government can use the power of policy implementation to ensure that the needs and expectations of such individuals are met. A new initiative can begin whereby those who are able to go back to their respective homes are allowed to do so. New campaigns can be essential to encourage more homeless people to seek help at the established shelters or centers (Parsell, 2019). The involvement and collaboration of all key partners and stakeholders will make it possible for the country to overcome this problem. Consequently, more people will get the required support and be ready to engage in activities that can transform their life experiences.

Finally, the idea of re-housing all homeless Australians needs to become a universal program that targets all cities, neighborhoods, and rural areas. A coordinated model is essential to ensure that the government and other members of the society work together to identify those who need additional support. This model will make it possible for the government to identify all homeless people and provide the relevant shelter to them. The practice needs to be pursued continuously because any delay will take the entire process back to the drawing board. Scholars and analysts can go further to complete additional studies in an attempt to address this problem and make it easier for more people to lead high-quality lives (Parsell, 2019). The beneficiaries will also require additional guidance, counseling, medical treatment, and social support due to the unique problems associated with homelessness. This approach will transform the Australian society for the better and promote economic development.

Conclusion

The above analysis has identified homelessness as a manageable challenge that the government has allowed to persist. Such a predicament affects the lives of many citizens, thereby making it impossible for them to achieve their maximum potential. The government and other key stakeholders should, therefore, examine the nature of this societal problem and implement evidence-based social support systems to either shelter or reintegrate these individuals back into their respective societies. Such a model will meet their needs and promote economic development and sustainability.

References

1. Falzon, J. (2019). Homelessness and the house of lies. In Daily. Web.
2. Parsell, C. (2019). We need a long-term fix for homelessness in Australia. In Daily. Web.
3. Pawson, H., Parsell, C., Saunders, P., Hill, T., & Liu, E. (2018). Australian homelessness monitor 2018. Launch Housing.

Many people have made the mistake of assuming that only people living in third-world developing countries face the challenge of homelessness. However, sadly, in reality, it is not so. The United States, which promises equality to its entire population, has been facing the problem of homelessness, which has become worse in recent times. New York City, the city that never sleeps, and one of the most populous places on the earth, has been facing the huge task of providing homes to its citizens. The count of homeless in the city has been increasing exponentially. The apartments are going higher and way beyond the reach of the middle and middle-lower class of the citizens.

The landlords are losing their homes to the builders, and more and more people are being thrown out of their rented apartments. Hence, the list of homeless is growing longer and longer. In fact, the number of homeless people in New York is higher than it has ever been in the last two decades. It was estimated that more than 33000 people in New York slept in shelter homes.

The women and children who have to face poverty do not enjoy the right of security of the person. Living on the streets without food and shelter affects their health and endangers their lives. As they are homeless, they have no mental or physical security too. Thus, poverty simply means that the people are not getting their basic human rights. The blames for the huge crisis of New York was put upon the federal welfare programs, the faltering economies, and the dearth of affordable housing facilities in the city. There is a rising need for housing policies that would provide affordable homes. The homeless seek shelter in the intake center of the Department of Homeless Services in the Bronx, hoping for their help. This intake center can be said to be the epicenter of New Yorks homeless crisis.

The problem of how and where to put up these homeless people has lately become very serious. The situation was so severe that the city council had to convert an unused jail to provide shelter to the homeless families. The Department of Homeless Services even had to accommodate the homeless on the benches and the floors of the emergency intake center. The Mayors plans to convert hotels into housing have failed as it received a lot of criticism from the local communities.

In order to solve this rising problem, Mayor Micheal Bloomberg proposed a plan to move around 9000 families into apartments from shelter homes. Many non-profit organizations like Zocalo Panel have come out with solutions to the homeless crisis by moving the unsheltered and the homeless into direct housing. However, New Yorks homeless crisis is not meeting a solution in the new future.

In conclusion, it can be stated that with the rising prices in the metropolitan and with the economic recession in hand and poor housing policies in the city, the homeless families list is bound to grow. Even if the Mayor finds the solution to accommodate beds for everyone, the home for all the unsheltered families of New York is not on the horizon. However, the government of the United States needs to guarantee the review of their social assistance so that barriers are removed, and opportunities are created equally for all citizens.

Every country has its own social problems which are equal in more or less degree. People above the poverty threshold and the problem with homelessness are the problems which a lot of countries are faced with. Social problems are very difficult to decide, especially if to deal with homelessness as the countries budgets cannot always comprise all the expenses necessary for providing free lodging for all people. It is obvious that every country has taxation for social needs but the taxes are aimed to deal with lots of other problems of social character. That is why every government tries to provide the strategies for homelessness to help people to deal with the problem, but not all of them are successful.

Considering the situation with the homelessness in America, it is necessary to mention that it tries to provide as many as possible different strategies to deal with the problem and to make these strategies successful. The problem which makes the governments efforts more difficult to provide is the chronicle homelessness, as these people have used to live in the condition of constant searching for food and place to have sleep, so it becomes their style of life.

Before providing any homelessness strategies, the American government makes housing authorities create a sort of statistical information. This statistical information comprises the current level and the hypothetical one of the homelessness in the area. Then this information is analyzed and according to the number of available accommodations people are settled there. Before this settlement the housing authorities should be consulted by the social services and to receive information about what actions are provided in order to understand what methods are used to reduce homelessness in the area and who is in a bigger necessity to receive the settlement (Brammer, 2006).

One of the main strategies to prevent homelessness is to consider the people who are not homeless yet but who are at the risk of becoming homeless. This may help people to remain with the roof on their heads and will help the government to save finances as to provide some help with saving the lodging is much cheaper than to search for a new place for a person to live (Burt, Pearson & Montgomery, 2006). Different social organizations and government departments should follow this problem and decide it before it appears to be a huge problem both, for people and for government.

The greatest problem is people who are considered as chronic homeless. They have already used to live the way they do, without homes, without constant work and without any hopes and responsibilities. To work with such people is very difficult and special strategies should be provided in order to work with these people. The homelessness strategies should make addicted people (alcohol and drug addiction) interested in the programs they are offered. These strategies should attract people with mental disorders and be able to provide them with help, such as medical and psychological (Burt, 2004).

In conclusion, the strategies, to be successful, should be provided before the problem actually arises, so the powerful statistical departments should follow the situation and to provide people with help before they appear on the streets. This is the most effective strategy, which the USA uses in the work with homeless people.

Reference List

1. Brammer, A. (2006). Social work law. Pearson Education.
2. Burt, M. R., Pearson, C. L., & Montgomery, A. E. (2006). Homelessness: prevention strategies and effectiveness. Nova Publishers.
3. Burt, M. (2004). Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness. DIANE Publishing

The intervention was satisfactorily effective in addressing the clients problem as progress was attained in certain aspects initially proved challenging. The issue of properly maintaining a home was addressed as the client learned how to adapt to a home by himself. Initially, the client was not used to facilities such as a bed and slept on the floor. Gradually, he got accustomed to it and was comfortable in his house.

The client was able to form meaningful relationships, something that was difficult before. He was able to view the social worker helping him as a friend rather than a professional who sought to make his life difficult. By developing a connection between the two of them, the client was able to articulate his problems more clearly and was helped. Additionally, he was able to create a healthy bond of friendship which climaxed with the two of them buying a television set together.

The client was able to resolve his drug abuse menace. Initially, he was involved in the abuse of many drugs, including cocaine. This jeopardized his health and made it difficult for him to focus on making his life better. With time, he quit most of the hard drugs, and the only hurdle remaining was alcohol. The social worker helped him reduce the amount of alcohol he took gradually by identifying periods of relapse and the potential triggers. This strategy worked remarkably as the client became better in this regard. The intervention failed in ensuring the client was reunited with his children. He had separated from them due to the difficulties encountered earlier in life. Getting back together with them was poised to make his recovery and adjustment from homelessness better. Efforts were underway to ensure that he was reunited with his family.

Homelessness in the US

Homelessness in the US is related to the case study in many ways. Drug addicts make a significant proportion of homeless people in the US (Tsai, 2017). This is because drug abuse deprives people of their incomes by utilizing all their assets to buy drugs. When money is finished, the drug addicts begin selling furniture and other properties within their houses to acquire the substances. Eventually, they have nothing left in their homes to trade for the drugs and have to leave their homes.

Homeless people in the US are also separated from their families due to disasters that damage the family setup, such as losing a loved one or drug abuse. The loss of loved ones destroys the family fabric due to the mental health problems that compound the family members left. Additionally, drug abuse destroys relationships with family members as the abusers are met with hatred. The most significant causes of homelessness in the US are poverty and drug abuse.

Poverty contributes to homelessness as jobless people cannot meet most of their needs, such as food and housing. Those that make a meager income would rather spend it on pressing needs such as food rather than house rent, opting to live in the streets instead. Drug abuse contributes to homelessness as the drug addicts are homeless because they spend most of their earnings acquiring the drugs. Alternatively, they ran away from home as they were ostracized due to their drug abuse tendencies. In conclusion, homelessness is a pressing concern that requires the involvement of stakeholders in all sectors to resolve. Homelessness is a violation of human rights and derails progress in all spheres of life.

Reference

Tsai, J. (2017). Lifetime and 1-year prevalence of homelessness in the US population: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Journal of Public Health, 40(1), 6574.

Canada is a country with a high level of economic development; however, the problem of homelessness among young people still exists. For instance, approximately 40,000 youth are homeless during the year, and 7,000 lack shelter on any given night (Homeless Hub, n.d.). Indeed, homelessness is a crucial problem in social work because it is rooted in the principles of fundamental human rights and respect for a person. Moreover, young people possess an enormous potential to contribute to the community and state. Hence, this issue needs to be raised and resolved to attain social justice and provide youth with education, jobs, training, and affordable housing. The Canadian government tries to support the homeless population through legislation and by opening specialized organizations. To exemplify, Covenant House Toronto (CHT) was founded to help young people without housing (Gaetz et al., 2013). Many socioeconomic factors influence this issue, preventing its complete resolution; still, the agencies, like CHT, help young people by giving them shelter and emotional support.

The main forces that impede the eradication of homelessness in Canada are socioeconomic factors. Specifically, one of the main reasons why youth live on the streets is poverty (Gaetz, 2018). The second factor is domestic violence which coerces children and adolescents to escape from their homes (Gaetz, 2018). The third and fourth factors, the lack of education and unemployment, are interconnected, resulting in inconsistent and low income and the inability to afford proper housing (Gaetz, 2018). Other causes include various forms of discrimination such as racism, homophobia, and gender stereotypes (Gaetz, 2018). It appears that unequal distribution of resources and opportunities leads to homelessness among young people.

Our country belongs to an affluent economy, yet we have so many young people living on the streets. We need the government to allocate appropriate resources to help one of the most vulnerable populations. Homelessness is a social issue and stems from many different factors which have ripple effects, and it became more evident when the pandemic began. Youth experiencing homelessness are unlikely to continue their education, find employment, and maintain social connections (Gaetz et al., 2013). Thus, social programs and governmental agencies are the only hope for these groups.

I have worked at CHT for the last 14 years and have observed a diverse group of youth seeking help. Furthermore, these people are at more significant risk for developing physical or psychiatric illnesses. Indeed, I have seen many young people whose situations did not change for the better because of three factors affecting their progress: poor mental health, substance use, and unemployment. Therefore, in this case, a multidisciplinary approach is required to address the issue from different angles.

In conclusion, a high rate of homelessness is a national disaster for a developed country like Canada. It is crucial to focus on empowering youth through social programs, helping them return to school, providing opportunities to receive professional training, and supporting them in their journey to get jobs. Overall, communities wanting to adopt a prevention approach need practical prevention and intervention programs tailored to local needs.

References

Gaetz, S. A. (2018). The roadmap for the prevention of youth homelessness. Homeless Hub.

Gaetz, S., OGrady, B., Buccieri, K., & Marsolais, A. (2013). Youth homelessness in Canada: Implications for policy and practice. York Space.

Homeless Hub. (n.d.). How many people are homeless in Canada?