Mental Health and Homelessness

More than 124,000 or one fifth of the 610,000 homeless people across the U.S.A suffer from a severe mental illness, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They’re gripped by schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression. All manageable with the right medication and counseling, but debleating if left untreated.

The mentally ill homeless are some of the hardest to reach and toughest to treat, often self-medicating with drugs and alcohol and teetering between lucidity and crippling despair. Some people don’t know they’re ill.

So no matter how much you make this information known, they are not going to ask for help.....a lot of people will wind up in prison or dead before they come to realize their need for treatment. The court system does its best to incarcerate for the crimes they committed, but after they served their time, they are released back in the community. No aftercare program or counseling. The families have tried to deal with them, but either they are scared or don’t trust them anymore. Somebody must get their disability check. We do have homes for some to teach basic skills on taking care of themselves, but of age they can check themselves out of that program.

We have a facility at the hospital, but the person must walk in and admit they are having a problem. If confronted by someone that you believe has mental illness, do not get too close to them and try not to talk too loudly.

They may feel threatened and come at you. Never let them in your home because you do not know what state of mind this person is in. Never give them money (that is the worst thing to do) and always stay on guard when someone approaches you asking for help; do not be afraid.