Mental Illness and Homelessness

When the words “mental illness” come to mind, most people conjure up the image of a straitjacket or maybe a padded room in an isolated asylum off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Whatever the image may be, it is understood that the phrase “mental illness” does not carry a particularly positive connotation. But what exactly is a mental illness? How much is really known about this disease? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a mental illness is a serious medical condition that can modify a person’s way of thinking or feeling. A mental illness can also affect one’s ability to relate to others and function normally on a daily basis (“NAMI”). A mental disorder can arise from an eclectic amount of factors. Biological factors include genetics and long-term substance abuse (“Causes of Mental Illness”). Psychological factors include neglect and childhood abuse (Montgomery et al). Environmental factors include a poor family structure and a change in social surroundings. While the exact source of a majority of mental illnesses is unknown, through extensive research, it has been discovered that there are in fact biological, psychological, and environmental factors, such as those aforementioned, involved in originating a mental illness (“Causes of Mental Illness”). A mental disorder can also be the cause of a variety of problems. In fact, mental illness can be known to cause academic problems, poverty, incarceration, and additional health problems (“Module 1”). Homelessness is another possible consequence (Harvard Mental Health Letter). Over three million people are homeless in the United States every year (“Overview of Homelessness”). At least a quarter of those homeless suffer from a mental illness (Harvard Mental H...

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...protection against a life on the streets. In spite of that, the Harvard Mental Health Letter claims that landlords and neighbors refuse to live around someone with a mental disability. There are, however, existing housing programs that accept the mentally ill. While these selections are limited, they provide supportive and attentive staff members. In addition, residents can acquire the skills they need to live independently in the future. Moreover, supplying adequate housing for the mentally ill does not even cost a substantial amount of money. Studies show that thousands of dollars can be saved by providing the mentally ill with permanent supportive living arrangements. Despite reassuring proof that no harm can come from providing the mentally disable community with appropriate housing, there is still a lack of support for the matter (Harvard Mental Health Letter).