Ending Homelessness

P1. We pass people on the streets of New York or Los Angles and do not give them a second look. We are afraid to talk or look at them, knowing that there is a chance they will ask us for something. Even though they have all the rights we have, why is it that we look down on them? According to David Bernstein’s in “A Plan to Make Homelessness History”each day, roughly 700,000 people in the country are homeless. Many poor people are at risk of homelessness because it is hard for them to afford housing. Communities across the country respond to homelessness with housing and services programs like emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. One of the biggest causes of homelessness is brain injuries. Traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow to the head that disrupts normal functions of the brain. Traumatic brain injury can be caused by exposure to physical abuse during childhood, alcohol and substance abuse, and motor vehicle traffic crashes and assaults. Providing health care for these people is challenging because of their difficult behavior patterns. These behaviors may be related in part to their brain injury and may affect cognitive impairment, attention defects, disinhibition, impulsivity and emotional lability. With the right support services these deficits can be reduced.

P2. Bornstein argument is correct when saying we need more homelessness shelters. Putting these people with mental illnesses and those who just need shelter in facilities to get back on their feet reduces the poverty rate. Housing reduces many problems: poverty rates, crime rates, and providing children with the opportunity to get an education and live a better life.  These housing facilities can help those get back on their feet and get a paying job so they can contribute to society. It is cheaper to give homeless men and women a permanent place to live than to leave the on the streets. Bornstein explains to us in “The Street-Level Solution”once people return to housing, they are in a much better position to rebuild their lives due to support and the belief they will live a better life.

P3. With housing comes social problems. Once in housing they can feel isolated and lonely. If they have lived on the streets for so many years they are use to that environment and acquire skills and a sense of pride to survive. Many who come to housing need support with mental health problems, addictions, and illnesses. They also need assistance with everyday challenges in rebuilding their lives, relationships,finding activities they enjoy, managing finances, and learning to eat healthy. A great solution is communal residence with special services so they not only have professional support but the support of those around them going through similar situations.

P4.The rate of traumatic brain injuries are higher among people who are homeless compared to the general population. The seriousness of a TBI can range from mild to severe. In the homeless population cognitive impairment may increase the risk of remixing homeless.There is a greater understanding between the homelessness and TBI, it is necessary in order to prevent and for intervention programs aimed at reducing the frequency and managing the symptoms of TBI among people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Most of the homeless community suffer from head traumas but what we don’t know are they many different kinds and ranges there are. We can try and help them but in reality even with housing and the support of those working in the housing facilities it just isn’t enough. Due to the severity of some brain trauma those people need extra care and professional help that the housing facilities simply can’t afford. The governments lack of funds does not allow for us to treat all the people that come through the homeless facilities with the proper care they need and deserve.

P5. The big story with street homelessness is that when cities make a concerted effort to reduce it they succeed. They have done this by guiding homeless people into permanent supportive housing with retention rates between 85 to 90 percent. In Los Angles, the nation’s homeless capital, 4,800 people about 10 percent of the city’s homeless population consume half a billon dollars in services annually. Providing them with housing is 40 percent cheaper than leaving people on the street. Even though a solution to ending homelessness is within sight, Bornstein makes it clear that housing agencies need to change there ways they work to implement it. They need to target the neediest people and coordinate with other agencies and nonprofits, he says in “A Plan to Make Homelessness History”.

P6. While much is being done, further federal, state and local action is needed to end homelessness. The federal government needs to expand affordable housing programs, particularly in section 8 housing. In times of emergency people can accomplish big things. Bornstein opens are eyes as to how many people are actually living on the streets everyday and how it is so simple to become homeless. One accident can change a persons life and effect their families lives. “Until recently homelessness has been treated as an inconvenience not a life and death matter” Bornstein says in A Plan to Make Homelessness History. When someone has been living on the streets for 15 years, it is easy to think “What’s another few months?” Until you know that person or are in there shoes you will never know the true struggle and courage it takes to survive and push through everyday.

                                                                     Work Citied

Bornstein, David. “The Street Level Solution.” New York Times. N.p., 24 Dec. 2010. Web.29           Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” New York Times. N.p., 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

MPH, Stephen W. Hwang MD, Angela Colantonio PhD OT Reg, Shirley Chiu MA, George Tolomiczenko PhD MPH, Alex Kiss PhD, Laura Cowan BScN, and Donald A. Redelmeier MD MSHSR. “Stephen W. Hwang MD MPH.” The Effect of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Health of Homeless People. N.p., 07 Oct. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Padgett, Deborah K., Benjamin F. Henwood, and Sam J. Tsemberis. “Homelessness in America.” Housing First (2015): 16-29. Web.

“The State of Homelessness in America 2016.” National Alliance to End Homelessness. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Needs a Title

P1. Homelessness is one of those underlying issues in our country that not many people understand. Homeless people are usually overlooked by most people and viewed very negatively by others. Something that people tend to forget is that the homeless are people too they bleed like us and share the same air we breathe. In a perfect world this problem would have been solved a long time ago however fixing homelessness around the world is not an easy thing to do, but there are many things that can be done to combat this social issue.

P2. To begin to understand homelessness one must start from square one, the cause. People around the world are left homeless for a variety of different reasons however there are many similarities amongst most homeless people. In “The effect of traumatic brain injury on the health of homeless people” I read that 70% of homeless people have suffered from some kind of trauma to their heads resulting in moderate to severe mental illnesses that don’t allow them to live a normal life. “The Street Level solution” by David Bornstein talks about this as well when they explain the causes of homelessness. Head trauma leads to erratic mood swing, and explosive behavior. To deal with the pain and agony that comes along with a head injury people begin to cop either with drugs or alcohol. Most of the time this leads to severe alcoholism amongst the homeless. Thus people end up homeless. This is including but not limited to Military veterans, working class people as well as poor people, everyone’s lives could be changed in the brink of a second.

P3. Many believe that the solution to homelessness is simply giving homes to the homeless. Well this was tested and failed because the process made it very difficult to obtain one of these section 8 homes or other type of government aid. Something had to change. A new idea has risen and it entails a process of getting the homeless back on their feet and intergrade them into our society. An organization called Common ground is taking the broken process to aid homeless people and are adding their own spin to it. They are not only providing housing for the homeless they are creating a program which offers counseling and an array of classes for their residents to take. This is a great thing because they are teaching the homeless to cope and live a normal life to the best of their ability with their mental illness or in many cases just help the homeless get back on their feet and help them continue with their lives.

P4. Here in America homelessness is an issue that has gone down over the past few years when the veteran homeless rate dropped by 47%. However, under new administration how will this issue proceed to be helped. How will the US government battle homelessness in America when the funding for this program may be cut? Under President Trumps administration he has ensured that defense and entitlement programs will receive no cuts during his term. This leaves the money to be cut from other federal programs such as education, environmental, health and housing programs. If this occurs combating the ongoing issue against homelessness will become more difficult than it is currently and this country will be taking giant steps back toward finding a solution to homelessness. TCA Regional news wrote an article about homelessness in San Diego and told the story of a man who had his 4ft by 7ft home taken from because he was illegally lodging in a public area. The law does not make it any easier for the homeless. In many cases law enforcement takes from those who have nothing. An article by Laura Smith talked about how many homeless people carry around sleeping bags and blankets to keep warm during the winter season. Police officers across the nation have been “cracking down” on the homeless and seizing their belongings. Police officers are enforcing anti-camping laws and they are criminalizing the homeless. This is a growing issue in different cities in America, people are standing up to the problem though and speaking out for the homeless.

P5. San Diego has taken a huge step forward in implementing their Connections housing program to assure the health and well-being of the homeless, by not only providing housing but different counseling programs to help the homeless live a normal life in society as well as teach them how to maintain a fulltime job. While it’s true that the issue of homelessness is not just going to disappear overnight there are many things that can be done to ensure that progress is made. Why should the homeless be seen as less than others because of their situation. While there are some people who simply choose to be homeless many people have just had bad luck. Ive seen this first hand with a man who lived in my neighborhood as a boy. He worked as a lumberjack and one day a branch fell on his head and it completely changed his life. Although I was too young to know him personally I did realize that he was different. He would no longer wave and say hello to everyone he saw. I would sometimes see him speaking to himself walking in the street, or sitting on a park bench staring into thin air for hours. Eventually I just stopped seeing him around. My parents then told me he had left his family and was now living on the streets. His family tried to help him as much as possible he continued to refuse, almost as if being homeless was what he wanted. Moral of the story is no one deserves to be homeless people deserve to live a happy life and they deserve a second chance to do so. This is why it is so important that actions be taken toward not only finding housing for the homeless but giving them rehabilitation and helping them become integrated members of society.

Works Cited

Edwin_D_Rios. “Trump Hasn’t Said Much about Homelessness-and That’s Making a Lot of People Nervous.” Mother Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

“EDITORIAL: The Only Real Solution to Homelessness.” TCA Regional NewsDec 26 2015. ProQuest. Web. 30 Jan. 2017 .

Smith, Laura, Marc Brünke/Creative Commons, Scott Carrier, Josh Harkinson, Mark Follman, and Ben Dreyfuss. “Denver Is Hardly the Only City Seizing Homeless People’s Gear.”Mother Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

The Homeless Problem

P1 Sometimes the solution to a problem is to work smarter, not harder. It is easy to believe that the solution to homelessness is simple. If we build houses for homeless people, then they won’t be homeless. But homelessness is a symptom as much as it is a problem. The homeless often have other problems that need to treated. The GAO found that in 2009, 2.9 billion dollars were spent on programs for the homeless (GAO). Using that money to build houses for the homeless is not a complete solution to the problem. It is the first step of a plan but it only treats the symptom of the underlying problem. 40 percent of long term homeless people have had a traumatic brain injury (Bornstein). This brain injury caused people who were normal, functional members of society to develop mental illnesses and addictions that made them lose their jobs and eventually their house. To stop homeless people, all of their problems need to be addressed.

P2 Putting homeless people into houses is the first step towards getting their life back together. Until the 1990s, the homeless needed to be drug and alcohol free before they were let into housing. This made it impossible for many of the homeless to access this housing. Addictions are hard to manage with help and a supportive environment. It is almost impossible to for the homeless to get become sober while struggling to live on the street. Giving the homeless a house gives them some stability in life. They don’t have to worry about where they are going to sleep every night. Once a homeless person is in a house, they can receive help for their other problems.

P3 Putting a homeless person in a house is not enough to rehabilitate them. Often, they have problems with substance abuse and mental illnesses that need to be addressed. 47 percent of homeless people have mental illnesses (Bornstein) . These people cannot get better on their own.

Without funding programs that solve these problems, the homeless will continue to be dysfunctional.

P4 The homeless problem is cannot be solved by spending more money. The government needs to understand that the homeless need more than just houses. They need to receive help for the problems that made them become homeless. They need support getting readjusted to regular life. Without multi step programs, the government is wasting money.

Works Cited

Bornstein, David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Blog post. Opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com. New York Times, 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/a-plan-to-make-homelessness-history/.

Bornstein, David. “The Street-Level Solution.” Https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/the-street-level-solution/?_r=0. N.p., 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.
“Homelessness: Fragmentation and Overlap in Programs Highlight the Need to Identify, Assess, and Reduce Inefficiencies.” U.S. Government Accountability Office (U.S. GAO). N.p., 10 May 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Mentally Ill Homeless

P1.Many of the homeless living on the street suffer from severe mental illness caused by blows to the head. Giving these mentally ill homeless only housing will not solve the large homeless problem. These individuals need help for their illness on top of housing. Simply giving them housing will not solve the issue, and they will end back on the street. The United States Housing and Urban Development spends $550 million to aid the homeless. However the HUD dosen’t understand the problem, so they are wasting taxpayers money. Until the HUD understands the problem with the homeless, the problem will just expand, and the taxpayers money will just be wasted.

P2.  The problem, according to David Bornstein, is the government is misusing the funds. As he discusses in his articles, “Street Level Solutions” and “A Plan to Make Homelessness History”, Bornstein discusses the issues regarding homelessness today, and how to solve the issues.  The Housing of Urban Development does not understand the real problem with the homelessness. They are simply just giving the homeless housing, which isn’t the entire issue. Many are drug addicts or have mental issues and need other, additional help. They need treatment for their issues, and help to conquer them to fully conquer the whole issue. Without necessary treatment, sadly they are just ending back on the straight in a short period of time.

P3. The government needs to realize that these mentally ill homeless people need more than simply housing and a job. They need help to diagnose the issue, and treatment to treat the issues. If they are not giving treatment for their illness, they will eventually lose their given job and house given to them. Eventually they will end up right back on the street.However, the same mistake is being continually made. The, 100,000 Homes Campaign, as Bornstein describes as, “It’s the human welfare equivalent of NASA’s race to put a man on the moon.”(Bornstein 2) is trying to attempt to get the homeless off the street. However they, aren’t addressing the real issue. This is why homelessness is such a real issue. Giving them housing is just one step in the fight against homelessness.

P4. Bornstein did his own study correlating brain injury to  chronically homeless. He found that 53% of the of the chronically homeless have suffered a severe brain injury prior to becoming homeless. 70% of those mentally ill, had blows to the head prior to being homeless. They were normal people, with normal goals. However, they had blows to the head that lead them to the street life. This is why, just giving them house is no the solution. They had houses prior to the blow to the head, it’s their illness that led them to the street.Mental illness is a serious issue, and is not easily solvable.Not understanding this, is why the homelessness rate is increasing despite the significant funds.

P5.The American Journal of Psychiatry did a study in 2005, surveying 10,340 patients in a San Diego mental health hospital. They found that a large percent of the patients were in fact homeless. The study discovered   that 15% of the patients were homeless at one point or another. This is largely because they did not receive the care they needed to conquer their mental illness. Its also safe to assume, if the other 85% were not treated, a large number of them would have been homeless. The diseases ranged from, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These disease are often treatable but if not done so, have consequences, proven by homelessness.

P6. Progress has been made, however in the fight against homelessness. In New York, and now many other cities too, a new organization has been sprouting up. The Common Ground Organization has been tackling the homelessness issue with different measure, and having success. Common Ground doesn’t only give the homeless a home, but they get them treatment and give them tasks to keep them on the right track. They install a community atmosphere with community goals, such as gardens, cooking classes, and yoga sessions. It’s much more than simply a house, it’s giving them the help they need. Understanding this is why common ground is so successful, and is why they are  making such a great push in the fight against homelessness.

P7. There is plenty of money set aside in the government to help eradicate the homelessness problem. However, all the money in the world can’t solve the issue, if the problem is not fully understood. A mentally ill person can’t succeed in an environment they are not ready for, and is why many that are  put into section 8 housing end up right back on the street. People won’t succeed in the environments  they are adapted or ready for. They key to success is to separate the mentally ill homeless from the non mentally ill homeless, and trying to give them the tools to succeed.The mentally ill homeless need more help and aid then the non mentally ill homeless.They need different helping tools, but that is the point the government doesn’t seem to understand.

P8. Blows to the head that leads to mental illness can be devastating. After traumatic events like that, people don’t think straight and is why many of them end up on the streets. Its society’s job to help these people get the treatment they need. The government needs to shift from the idea  that homeless people need only housing and also give those who need additional help, that help. Once this is done, the fight against homelessness can take a major step forward, maybe even two steps.

                                                                 Works Cited

Am J Psychiatry 162:2, February 2005 , http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org

Bornstein, David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Nytimes.com. N.p., Dec. 20. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David. “The Street-Level Solution.” Nytimes.com. N.p., 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, The 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, November 2015; U.S. Department of Education, “ED Data Express,” http://www.eddataexpress.ed.gov.

Misconceptions Surrounding the Homeless

P1. There are many misconceptions people hold when it comes to the homeless population in the United States. Many are unforgiving and treat homeless people as though they are less than human and undeserving of compassion. Many look at the work Bornstein is creating as unnecessary, and promises no future solutions but rather wastes time and resources. There are people who feel there is a parasitic nature to the homeless and feel justified in how they will be antagonized. The problem with this mentality is that it stifles growth or opportunities for possible solutions and replaces these efforts with prejudice and apathy. A functioning society cannot afford to segregate its members in a way as classist as is this. The true measurement of society cannot be from how we treat our wealthy but from how we treat our less fortunate.

P2. James O’Connell explains how 40 percent of homeless people he has met in his lifetime are homeless because of a brain injury   in “The Street Level Solution” by David Bornstein ““For many it was a head injury prior to the time they became homeless,” he said. “They became erratic. They’d have mood swings, bouts of explosive behavior. They couldn’t hold onto their jobs. Drinking made them feel better. They’d end up on the streets.” This breaks down a narrative that is in direct conflict with the stigma placed on homeless people. The misunderstanding of the homeless condition associates negative traits with these people rather than compassionate about their situation. We blame homelessness on the homeless because we associate them with negative behavior traits. We think of the homeless as failed humans and homelessness as the ultimate failure. The dehumanizing of the homeless perpetuates the myth that poverty is inevitable and that some people simply cannot be helped. We need to remember that the homeless may be dirty but they’re not undeserving; they were living normal lives until a tragic event took place.  The side effects of a traumatic brain injury are sporadic behavior and loss of basic cognitive skills that are obvious requirements of an employer. The capitalistic system we live in today only categorizes people based of their usefulness to a business or skills so naturally a person that has an   injury like this and possibly no immediate support system will fall by the way side as the injury continues to impair the person in question. The individualistic society we live in makes it hard for those in need to ask for help so they often do not. With the added hurdle of a brain injury it makes maintaining a stable normal life become a feat of a much higher magnitude.

P3. Humans are creatures of repetition and schedule these traits have allowed our species to thrive for centuries. The human mind is ingeniously adaptable to unfortunate situations and the same can be said about homeless people. When people become homeless they get into homeless habits and find a comfort zone in the desperation of their situation in order to survive. The years of living as a homeless person can have an impact on returning to a life with housing. Priorities are shifted from scraping food day to day to now managing relationships and finances. These changes even appear as formidable to a person who been away from social norms for a long time, “As with many complex social problems, when you get through the initial crisis, you have another problem to solve which is no less challenging. But it is a better problem.”stated by Bornstein explains how its hard for some homeless people to see the solution to their problem because of years of living in a particular manner.

P4. There are organizations throughout the nation looking at ways to solve the homeless issue in the United States. Many of the groups are met with opposition and people not understanding the issues taking place. In many organizations the new practices look at the idea of rather than give the homeless jobs so that they can afford housing, the best solution is to first provide housing first. This may seem counterintuitive and some may look at this plan with disdain since whenever money goes those in need those who are not look at the practice as an expense rather than a equally beneficial process. Although money is not just going down the drain. Logically looking at the issue its apparent that this demographic is known to cost the government money, money that some feel deserves to go to better places and resources enjoyed by the many and not the few unfortunate. However, it is important to realize regardless of if these programs are utilized or not money will be spent regardless. The homeless still go to hospitable emergency rooms and commit crimes using tax dollars regardless. A better system as organizations like “Common Ground” have proposed is instead  of ostracizing those that need housing a better alternative would be to give these people a house and help them transition back into society so there is chance they could give back and live healthy productive lives.

Work Cited

Bornstein, David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Nytimes.com. N.p., Dec. 20. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David. “The Street-Level Solution.” Nytimes.com. N.p., 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Public knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about homeless peop. (1995). American Journal of Community Psychology, 23(4), 533. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.rowan.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/205342696?accountid=13605

Stolte, E. (2011, Nov 24). City commits $360,000 for chronically homeless; hundreds need more supervision, help, study says. Edmonton Journal Retrieved from http://ezproxy.rowan.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/906159500?accountid=13605

Housing First: Homelessness

P1. Human beings have been attempting to solve the homelessness problem the same way for years. The current strategy, is to first make the homeless clean from drugs and alcohol, and then find them a job and somewhere to live. This Idea sounds like a good one, but it is often very ineffective. David Bornstein, in his article “The Street-Level Solution,” mentions a common thread between chronic homeless people, that may be the reason they find it difficult to effectively assimilate into society. This thread is head trauma. Many homeless people have suffered a head trauma that could be the reason they find it difficult to get clean or find a job.

P2. Bornstein’s solution is the same as the organization “Common Ground.” What this organization does, is it focuses on the root of the problem with chronic homelessness. Common Ground helps homeless people by putting them in a home, no strings attached, and offering them the help that they need to become a functioning member of society. This is a new approach that deserves a chance. If the problem has been dealt with the same way for years and hasn’t been solved, it is time for a new approach.

P3. Most of the chronically homeless have had a head trauma, and that’s the scary part. Head trauma can happen to anybody. One blow to the head can turn a regular, functioning member of society into a chronically homeless person with lots of problems. Only when those problems are solved, can the chronically homeless really be helped.

P4. Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI is a real problem. Gean and Fischbein write about TBI in their article on Clinicalkey.com “Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is termed “the silent epidemic” for good reason.” (Gean 1). TBI is a serious problem for everybody to be concerned about. “More than 1.5 million individuals sustain a new TBI each year.” (Gean 1). Anybody can sustain a TBI, this is why Bornstein’s idea is worth a look.

P5. In an article on jamanetwork.com, author Mitchell Katz writes about the chronically homeless. “The chronically homeless have a high prevalence of mental illness, substance use, and physical health problems, as well as higher use of emergency department visits, hospitalization days, and mortality.” (Katz 1). This “higher use of emergency department visits,” is another reason that this idea of housing first is a good one. It is actually cheaper to house the homeless, than to leave them out on the streets. When they are on the streets, they use emergency services so often, that it costs the city money. So the argument presented by Bornstein offers even more than before.

P6. The idea of housing first may not be the solution to chronic homelessness, but that will not be determined until it is given a fair shot. It has been tested in cities such as New York, and it not only has been effective, but it has saved the cities money as well. The idea is at least worth looking in to, and more cities in the United States should give it a try.

Works Cited

Katz, Mitchell H. MD. “Housing As A Remedy for Chronic Homelessness.” Jamanetwork. N.P, 3 Mar 2015. Web. 29 Jan. 2017

Gean, Alisa. Fischbein, Nancy. “Head Trauma.” Clinicalkey. NP No date listed. Web. 29 Jan. 2017

Bornstein, David. “The Street-Level Solution.” Opinionator. NP. 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017

Bornstein David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Opinionator. NP. 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan 2017.

Ending Homelessness

P.1. In our country there are thousands of homeless people sleeping out on the streets, but over the past couple of years that number has significantly reduced due to organizations such as Common Ground and the 100,000 Homes Campaign. It costs us more money to keep these people out on the streets than to get them into a home, so we should be trying to get them all into homes. Some might end up turning to old habits, such as drug abuse, and end up back on the streets, but it is worth the try. Especially those who suffer from severe brain damage, which is a decent amount in the homeless community. Together we can end homelessness for good and put a stop to the suffering.

P.2. Having a brain injury is one of the reasons many of these people are homeless, and most of the community doesn’t know about it, they just assume they use all of their money for drugs and alcohol. In the “Street Level Solution” written by David Bornstein, doctor James O’Connell talks about how most homeless people have had a traumatic brain injury before they were homeless, and it resulted in erratic and explosive behavior causing them to lose their jobs and turn to alcohol to feel better.When they are living on the streets they are not getting the proper care and medications that they need, causing many of them to die. These programs are the first step in curing the homeless because they need a secure environment where they can get the proper care that they need. Not only are the homeless people who move into these homes getting a place to live, but they are also getting services to get them healthier and to help them get a job in the future.

P.3. The money that is being put into these programs to end homelessness are really helping and the statistics show the massive decrease in homeless people in the major cities. In “A Plan to Make Homeless History” also by David Bornstein, he says that already over 6,816 people have been housed and that the programs are gaining momentum. Getting them off the streets is benefiting the cities in America and it is costing the country less to do so also. “People who live on the streets tend to cycle through emergency rooms, addiction treatments, psychiatric care and jails” (Bornstein). The money we are using is going to good use instead of just wasting it on the people living in the streets. By giving them housing it is giving them a chance to start over and move their lives in the right direction.

P.4. Most of the homeless population have had a serious brain injury, a mental illness, or a life threatening disease. By getting them into a home, they are able to properly store their medications and can get the care that they need. It is proven that “Housing integrated with health care has been shown to be an effective and cost-saving intervention for homeless and unstably housed persons with serious health problems” (Open Doors). Housing is the first step to helping these homeless people, but the government and these programs also need to realize that some of these people need the proper medical attention, considering the fact that almost half of the homeless community has some sort of head injury. By getting them a place to live it is giving them the opportunity to take care of themselves properly and seek attention for their medical needs.

P.5. These chronically homeless people are at severe risk for dying without the proper attention. In the University of Glaslow research  “The study found that people who were homeless and who also sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) were more than twice as likely to die in the seven years between 2004-2010 as homeless people without such injuries over the same period” (Brain Injury and Homelessness). This shows that housing and proper medical care has a huge impact on these peoples lives and it could be a matter of life and death for them. To end homelessness for good we need to make sure that people are out on the streets making sure the homeless are getting the proper healthcare they need and that we can provide them homes or shelters to live comfortably. The causes of their homelessness need to be identified and used to make sure they are appropriately cared for depending on their health status.  Having a place to call home will help these people in the long run and hopefully be the break through to changing their lives for the better.

Works Cited

Bornstein, David. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/a-plan-to-make-homelessness-history/. N.p., 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David. “The Street-Level Solution.” Https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/the-street-level-solution/?_r=0. N.p., 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

“Brain Injury and Homelessness.” Traumatic Brain Injury and Homelessness. The Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://www.thedtgroup.org/foundation/brain-injury-and-homelessness/&gt;.

“Opening Doors.” The British Medical Journal 2.3264 (n.d.): 119-20. Fact Sheet Prevention. Usich.gov. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/FactSheetPrevention.pdf&gt;.

29 January 2017

English Comp 2

Professor Hodges

Housing for the Homeless

Homelessness has been a major issue in the United States for many decades now.  There have always been homeless people but in the past few decades the numbers have skyrocketed to another level.  In efforts to put an end to poverty, many have tried to come up with different types of housing solutions for the homeless, but not many have been successful.  There are those who think that the reason these institutions have not worked is due to the fact that no one has taken the time to find out why people are actually living on the streets.  Many homeless individuals have either mental or physical issues, so one standard homeless shelter is not going to be the solution for everyone.  Homeless shelters need to be directed towards the needs of the individuals who will be inhabiting them.  These people need to be treated as people and not as a poverty statistic.  One major issue among the homeless is traumatic brain injury, and unfortunately not many people address it.  Traumatic brain injury is a very serious problem and is what causes most individuals to enter the homeless category (Bornstein).

Brain injury is one of the main reasons individuals are homeless in the United States.  In a recent study done by Dr. Steven W. Hwang of Saint Michael’s hospital, it appeared that seventy percent of homeless people who were interviewed developed their brain injury just before they became homeless (Vranic).  Dr. Hwang surveyed around 1000 individuals, so just imagine how large the percentage of homeless people with brain related injuries would be if thousands were surveyed.  If traumatic brain injury is so prevalent in these couple hundred people, it is wise to think that it is a major issue in homeless people all over the country.

Such brain injuries are what put these people on the streets, and in order to get them off of the streets the homeless shelters being created need to be centered on helping those with brain injuries.  An institution cannot just provide a bed and food for someone and expect them to overcome their illness.  In order for these individuals to become functioning parts of society the real reason that they are homeless needs to be focused on.  If putting an end to poverty is something that is really important to this country than people need to look at the little facts, not just the big picture. 

Traumatic injuries of the brain are a large problem among the homeless, but there are also other health related issues that put people on the streets such as mental illness and other physical illnesses.  Whatever these people struggle with needs to be addressed at any institution they check into.  There needs to be specific housing specialized on each singular issue.  For example, there could be three clinics next to one another; one focused on brain injury, one focused on mental illness, and one focused on physical sickness.  If these homeless shelters were more specialized like this they would be a lot more successful and the poverty rate would go down.  These people need specialized attention in order to help them to succeed in getting above the poverty line.  After being on the streets for so long without any help, as well as suffering from various illnesses, these individuals need various types of treatment that needs to be provided for them.  It is this country’s job to help in picking those up who have fallen down, and this cannot be done without a strategic plan.

“A greater understanding of the link between homelessness and TBI, including more accurate measurements of rates and impairments associated with TBI, is necessary in order to tailor prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing the incidence and managing the symptoms of TBI among people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless”(BMC Public Health).  This quote is exactly what the United States needs to do.  In order to resolve the issue of homelessness there needs to be a deeper understanding of why poverty is so high.  This applies to seeing why traumatic brain injury causes people to become homeless, as well as the same for mental illness and sickness.  An understanding needs to come about so the problem can be fixed hopefully before it even starts.  If for some reason this does not work, that is where the homeless shelters come in.  This is why it is so important for these shelters to cater to the needs of each and every single individual.  Therapy, medical treatment, food, housing, clothing, and much more need to be provided for these people to help them merge back into society.  Homeless individuals cannot just be looked at as homeless people anymore, society needs to look at them as people who are just like everyone else who just need some help getting back on their feet.

In conclusion homelessness is clearly an issue that needs to be focused on more than it is currently.  People are people all the same with the same types of needs, and just because these individuals are homeless does not mean that their issues should not be catered to as well.  If improving the poverty rate is really going to be prioritized, then the people who are actually homeless need to be prioritized.  They cannot be looked at as just a statistic especially because they are not.  Just like someone who is not in poverty needs medical attention if they develop a brain injury or mental illness, so do these individuals.  It is society’s job to provide them with the means of help that they need. 

MPH, Stephen W. Hwang MD, Angela Colantonio PhD OT Reg, Shirley Chiu MA, George Tolomiczenko PhD MPH, Alex Kiss PhD, Laura Cowan BScN, and Donald A. Redelmeier MD MSHSR. “Stephen W. Hwang MD MPH.” The Effect of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Health of Homeless People. Cmaj, 07 Oct. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Vranic, Jane Topolovec. “Traumatic Brain Injury among People Who Are Homeless: A Systematic Review.” BMC Public Health. Bmc Public Health, 5 Dec. 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David .. “A Plan to Make Homelessness History.” Opinionator. The Opinon Pages, 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Bornstein, David .. “The Street Level Solution.” Opinionator. The Opinion Pages, 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

It is counterintuitive to say that the President is for the people when the president chooses to ignore the homeless population of our society. President Trump has done very little in addressing the issue of homelessness in America. Since 2010 homelessness in America has gone down with the veteran homelessness rate dropping 47%, however it is still a very prevalent problem in the United States. Homelessness is an issue that has faced the US for many decades and needs a solution now. The question then arises, how will the US government battle homelessness in America when the funding for this program may be cut. Under President Trumps administration he has ensured that defense and entitlement programs will receive no cuts during his term. This leaves the money to be cut from other federal programs such as education, environmental, health and housing programs. If this occurs combating the ongoing issue against homelessness will become more difficult than it is currently and this country will be taking giant steps back toward finding a solution to homelessness.

It is counterintuitive to believe that giving homes to the homeless will not solve the homelessness crisis in America. This is very much true and has been proven over the past couple of decades with the help of organizations that specialize in helping homeless people in America re adapt to society and rebuild their lives. There are two categories of homelessness. One being episodically homeless meaning they bounce back in forth between being integrated in to society and being homeless. The other category of homelessness falls under the chronically homeless. Most of the time these people have some sort of mental illness and have very little resources available to them to help them live a normal life. Mental illness is very common amongst the homeless most of the time caused by some sort of head injury they endured at some point in their lives. The most effective solution to homelessness is providing housing and rehabilitation for the homeless working with them to deal with mental illness and real world situations as well as helping them find employment. All of these methods put together will essentially end homelessness in America.

It is counterintuitive to for a police officer to seize belonging of homeless people leaving them in situations in which they are endangered due to climate, when a police officer’s motto is to serve and protect the people. This implies that the homeless are not people and that is the furthest from the truth. Homeless people are people too who feel all of the same feeling we do. This includes the cold. Many homeless people carry around sleeping bags and blankets to keep warm during the winter season. Police officers across the nation have been “cracking down” on the homeless and seizing their belongings. Police officers are enforcing anti-camping laws and they are criminalizing the homeless. This is a growing issue in different cities in America, people are standing up to the problem though and speaking out for the homeless.

I know it is really late I was hoping you would still give me some credit. If not its cool, no hard feelings.