This post was originally published last January,
but I think it is worth a repost!

This is a debate that will go on and on and on because homelessness may never TOTALLY end.  But, as I was reading a blog post on Chang.org’s Poverty in America section, I noticed a good analogy on how we could go about starting to end homelessness.

This blog author, Eric Sheptock, is speaking about ending homelessness in Washington, D.C., and brings up the point that “[Mayor] Fenty focused on housing only the most vulnerable homeless – those who might die if not housed soon. As noble and necessary as this might seem to be, it meant that the more capable homeless who needed the least help in order to become self-sufficient were being ignored and allowed to stagnate in the shelter system.” His analogy to go along with this is that of a leaky pipe.  The first thing you do is not mop the floor or try to fill the crack.  The first thing you do is shut off the water!

When put in perspective with homelessness prevention and ending homelessness, the right way to stop the leak is to help house the more capable homeless.  Housing, first, the homeless who may just need a temporary but stable place to live in order clean up and get a new job.  Or, focusing on the increasing number of homeless families which has become a large part of the homeless population.

There are many tools that can help to stop the leak of capable people becoming homeless.  Tools such as employment training, affordable housing, and case management are a few of the things that HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program provides.

You can help support our program by spreading awareness about the need for these options to be sustained or by making a simple $25 donation to HIP and helping us reach our goal of $10K by March 10.

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDkbtI7SZ24?hd=1&w=480&h=360]

This blog author, Eric Sheptock, is speaking about ending homelessness in Washington, D.C., and brings up the point that “[Mayor] Fenty focused on housing only the most vulnerable homeless – those who might die if not housed soon. As noble and necessary as this might seem to be, it meant that the more capable homeless who needed the least help in order to become self-sufficient were being ignored and allowed to stagnate in the shelter system.” His analogy to go along with this is that of a leaky pipe.  The first thing you do is not mop the floor or try to fill the crack.  The first thing you do is shut off the water!

When put in perspective with homelessness prevention and ending homelessness, the right way to stop the leak is to help house the more capable homeless.  Housing, first, the homeless who may just need a temporary but stable place to live in order clean up and get a new job.  Or, focusing on the increasing number of homeless families which has become a large part of the homeless population.

There are many tools that can help to stop the leak of capable people becoming homeless.  Tools such as employment training, affordable housing, and case management are a few of the things that HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program provides.  Help support our program by spreading awareness about the need for these options to be sustained or by making a simple $25 donation to HIP.

Homelessness can happen to anyone because of tragedy, fighting with addiction, or many other reasons.  One of the most disheartening reasons is what often makes most children and teenagers homeless.

“First, his parents, whose marriage had imploded, disappeared. A few days later, Brewer came home from school to an eviction notice posted on the front door.”

This quote, taken from an article in the Washington Post, shows just one case; however, for many homeless youth, the reason they are forced to their street is not their choice, but one made by the people they trusted.  According to a report done by First Focus, federal data shows that the number of homeless children and youth identified in public schools has increased for the second year in a row, and by 41% over the past two school years.

Homeless students enrolled in Indiana schools has risen by 26% in these past two school years!

These reports are only able to capture the number of youth who are ENROLLED in school.  Assistance for students is hard to find because like the story from the Washington Post, many students enrolled in school are couch surfing with friends and family.  Youth who do this do not qualify as homeless under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition.

There are a few resources that do help Indianapolis’ homeless youth, namely HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, Outreach, Inc., and Schools on Wheels.  Do you know of any more resources for homeless youth?

An excellent video and article done by Bob Woodruff and Ian Caemeron for ABC News captures the feelings of three of these homeless veterans.

“It was embarrassing,” [Jose] Pagan says.  “Honor, pride, duty, loyalty, all these things that we — that kick in as a soldier, you know. And then to find yourself here,” as he points to the park benches where he slept for almost two months.

Jose was one of the soldiers highlighted in this report.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) tries its best to make sure no veteran is left alone when they come home, but there are plenty of gaps that some may fall into.  The VA even seems to think the number of new homeless vets may be greater than 9,000.

“The military is beginning to understand why more veterans are homeless. ‘I think we have to do a better job of ensuring that all soldiers, not just those that are seriously wounded, are informed of the services that are available to them and so none of them leave the service and find themselves in a situation where they have nowhere to live,’ the Vice Chief of the Army General Peter Chiarelli told ABC.” – from  the ABC News report.

Helping Veterans should top our list when thinking about housing the homeless.  These people gave the ultimate sacrifice to serve us and our country.  They deserve a fighting chance when they come back home. Help HealthNet serve the veterans.  Our Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) has the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) that provides employment training and home search services.  Donate directly to HIP or help raise awareness for homeless veterans everywhere.

However, HRSA (the Health Resources and Services Administration) has just made it possible for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to partner with supportive housing and homeless outreach teams to provide health care for their clients. In early December of 2010, HRSA announced that they will be granting $270 to $335 million to FQHCs throughout the nation to continue to serve the medically uninsured and underinsured.  And, the homeless fall right into this category.  The administration is offering this funding mainly to allow a doctor on outreach staff and increasing case management for residents who live in supportive housing.

Providing health care for the homeless in the right manner takes full wrap-around care consisting of outreach, engagement, medical care, behavioral health, case management, and life skills training.  HealthNet‘s network of FQHCs and Homeless Initiative Program work together to meet these needs.  A doctor is present with our Outreach team one day a week, and our staff in each FQHC are willing to work with anyone who steps through the door!

HRSA is providing the basis for health care for the homeless programs to start and expand; however, many of these funds are not sufficient.  You can be a part of providing health care for those who need it most by spreading awareness about local programs who provide health care for the homeless like HIP, or by donating directly to HealthNet’s HIP team.

Learn more about HRSA’s funding at the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s website.

Winter is tough for homeless outreach teams everywhere.  No one likes to see a man like Richie – “On a loading dock on E Street, a mound of frozen gray blankets rustled, and out from the pile rose their man, bundled in an assortment of jackets and hooded sweatshirts.” – deciding to stay on the streets of Boston despite the heavy snow fall.

Some of the homeless who won’t take blankets, gloves, sweatshirts, or shelter suffer from drug or alcohol abuse and maybe even mental illness.  Whatever the reason, no person should be without OPTIONS.  The advocates who found Richie were workers from the Pine Street Inn in Boston that began four decades ago to provide shelter for men suffering from alcoholism.

“[Jim Greene, director of Boston’s Emergency Shelter Commission] urged anyone who sees a homeless person in the cold to call 911, the quickest way to get help. Extreme weather can cause confusion and disorientation, he said. ‘Time is of the essence,’ he said.”

Although we may not be experiencing the weather of the East Coast, you can still help the homeless on the streets in Indianapolis this winter:

• Provide coats, gloves, hats, winter gear, etc. to HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program (HIP)
• Raise awareness about how to help the homeless in times of cold weather
• Donate directly to HIP online

“Usually dirty, drunk, and very stupid sounding, they just ask for money, or demand it.”

This was a quote taken from Thehomelesspresident’s Blog.  The author of this blog is a man who became homeless when he was 12 years old.  He has continuously tried to work his way out of homelessness and has been from place to place going from job to job.  You can read his About Me page to hear his story in greater detail.

When I read his blog post titled “Homeless, Alcoholism, Drug Addicition,” it made me think about WHO was exactly the face of homeless.  And, I agree with the blog author when he says that most people think about the person who sits on the corner or panhandles by a highway exit, who is very unkempt, and looks high and drunk.  I had an opportunity to tag-a-long with HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program‘s Outreach team who took me to the places where you see the people who are living without a home!  And sure, we saw people who were drunk and/or high, but the fact is that there are not as many as one might think.

The real face of homelessness are:

• FAMILIES who make up 40% of the homeless population in Indianapolis
• CHILDREN who make up almost 25% of this same population
• PEOPLE just like you and me, who just need a WAY out

You can help these people.  Spreading awareness about the face of homelessness can go a long way.  Or, donating to the Homeless Initiative Program here.  The number of homeless individuals on the street rose by 40% in 2009.  A small amount of your time can go a LONG way.

Check out Preventable Tragedy: A Hawaiian Teen’s Suicide after Foster Care,” an article written by Natalie Wendt.  In this article Natalie Wendt speaks about a 19-year-old from Hawaii who had just committed suicide.  Natalie further explains how the 19-year-old had just been phased out of foster care and fell on hardship when his Medicaid coverage ended on his 19th birthday.  So, he was without the possibility of mental health treatment because of the expenses.

This article got me thinking about other hardships that young adults who are too old for foster care may come across when they are suddenly thrown into the real world.  Luckily, Natalie linked back to an article written by her colleague, Josie Raymond.  The article was called “Foster Care Fosters Homelessness,” and this struck me as pretty logical.

Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago actually did a study on former foster youth, and the results follow the logic that is pointed out in Raymond’s article title.  Foster children were followed starting when they entered foster care at 16, were still in care at 17, and were placed because of a reason other than delinquency.  The Executive Summary reports the outcomes of these children when they were interviewed at the ages of 23 and 24.

• 24% of these kids were homeless at least once since they left foster care; half of these were homeless MORE THAN ONCE in that time
• Only 48% were currently employed
• 57% had health insurance; and two-thirds of these were insured by Medicaid

There is a gap here.  A gap that needs to be filled by support services of some kind.  Read the articles above, become aware, and spread awareness.  Help our community fill this gap.

Learn more about what services HealthNet’s programs provide.  Or, donate directly to one of their programs by clicking here.