HOMELESSNESS
HN115:
UNIT 9
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/changetheworld/tag/homeless-families
Martin, M. E. (2011). Introduction to human services, through the eyes of practice
settings. (2 ed.). Boston: Pearson.
UNIT 9 ASSIGNMENT: OPTION 1 (SITE
VISIT)
 T h e i d e a l way to l e a r n a b o u t f u t u r e c a r e e r p o s s i b i l i t i e s a n d t h e wo r k t h a t i s d o n e i n
h u m a n s e r v i c e s a g e n c i e s i s to v i s i t a f a c i l i t y. I f yo u d e c i d e to c o m p l e t e O p t i o n 1 o f t h i s
A s s i g n m e n t , yo u s h o u l d a r r a n g e to v i s i t a h u m a n s e r v i c e a g e n c y i n yo u r a r e a . M a ny
h u m a n s e r v i c e a g e n c i e s w i l l a l l ow s t u d e n t s to p r e a r r a n g e t i m e s f o r j u s t s u c h v i s i t s a n d
o b s e r v a t i o n s . I f yo u c h o o s e t h i s o p t i o n , i t i s i m p e r a t i v e t h a t yo u a r r a n g e f o r yo u r v i s i t
d ay s , e v e n we e k s , a h e a d . Yo u c a n u s e t h i s s c r i p t to h e l p yo u s e t u p yo u r v i s i t . Yo u w i l l
wa n t to s p e n d a m i n i m u m o f o n e h o u r o b s e r v i n g a n d t a k i n g n ote s . B e s u r e to b r i n g a
c o py o f t h e q u e s t i o n s l i s te d b e l ow, s o yo u c a n j ot d ow n a n s we r s d u r i n g yo u r v i s i t .
 Fo r yo u r U n i t 9 A s s i g n m e n t , yo u w i l l w r i te a t wo to t h r e e p a g e p a p e r t h a t e x a m i n e s t h e
f o l l o w i n g c o n c e p t s , w h i c h w i l l h av e b e e n a d d r e s s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h i s c o u r s e .
 First, describe the needs of various populations ser ved in the human ser vices profession.
T h r o u g h o u t t h i s c o u r s e yo u h av e d i s c u s s e d v a r i o u s p o p u l a t i o n s : c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s ,
adolescents, the aging, the mentally ill, the homeless, the medically ill and substance
abusers. Select at least three of these populations and describe some of the needs that
t h ey h av e . T h e n d i s c u s s t h e r o l e o f t h e h u m a n s e r v i c e s p r o fe s s i o n a l i n m e e t i n g t h o s e
n e e d s . T h i s p a r t o f yo u r A s s i g n m e n t s h o u l d b e a t l e a s t o n e p a g e .
 N e x t , d e s c r i b e t h e e nv i r o n m e n t o f t h e s i te yo u v i s i te d a n d a n s we r t h e f o l l o w i n g
questions:
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What does a typical work day look like for a human service worker working in this agency?
What are the job qualifications or requirements for human service workers in this agency?
What is the client population?
What is the main source of funding for this agency?
What is your conclusion regarding the quality of this facility?
How does this particular agency compare to other similar agencies found online and discussed in
this course? What are the similarities? How is it dif ferent?
UNIT 9 ASSIGNMENT: OPTION 2
(DESCRIBE A HSP POSITION)
 B e g i n yo ur p a p e r w i t h a n i n t r o d uc t i o n , a n d d e s c r i b e t h e n e e d s o f v a r i o us
p o p ul a t io n s s e r v e d i n t h e h u m a n s e r v i c e s p r o fe s s i o n . T h r o ug h o ut t h i s c o u r s e yo u
h av e d i s c us s e d v a r i o us p o p ula t i o n s : c h i l d r en a n d f a m i l ie s , a d o l e s c e n t s , t h e a g i n g ,
t h e m e n t a l ly i l l , t h e h o m e l e s s , t h e m e d i c al l y i l l , a n d s u b s t a n c e a b u s e r s . S e l e c t a t
l e a s t t h r e e o f t h e s e p o p ul a t i o n s a n d d e s c r i b e , i n d et a i l , s o m e o f t h e n e e d s t h a t
t h ey h av e . T h e n d i s c us s t h e r o l e o f t h e h u m a n s e r v i c e s p r o fe s s i o n a l i n m e et i n g
t h o s e n e e d s . T h i s p a r t o f yo ur a s s i g nm e n t s h o u l d b e a t l e a s t o n e p a g e .
 T h e n v i ew a t l e a s t t h r e e o f t h e v i d e o s ( i n c l ud in g a l l q u e s t i o n s a n d a n s w e r s ) f o un d
a t t h e f o l l ow i n g l i n k :
 h t t p : / / a b av to o l d ev. p e a r s o n c mg .c o m / r el e a s e _ my h el p i n g l a b / h e l p i n g la b . p h p
 N ex t , s t a te t h e t h r e e v i d e o s yo u c h o s e to v i ew. T h e n , s u m m a r iz e o n e o f t h e
p o s i t i o n s v i ew e d i n t h e v i d e o s . I n yo u r s u m m ar y, b e s u r e to g i v e t h e b a c k g ro un d o f
t h e a g e n c y, s o m e o f t h e d a i l y r e s p o n s i b i l it i e s o f t h e c h o s e n p o s i t i o n , a n d w h et h e r
o r n o t yo u w o u l d b e i n te r e s te d i n w o r k i n g i n t h i s p o s i t i on a n d w hy. I f t h e s e d et a i l s
w e r e n o t g i v e n i n f u l l i n t h e v i d e o , yo u m u s t f o l l ow u p w i t h r e s e a r c h o n s i m i la r
agencies found online.
 I n a d d i t i o n to yo u r s u m m a r i e s , d i s c us s a d d i t i o n al c a r e e r o p p o r t uni t i e s w i t h t h e
s a m e p o p ula t i o n a n d w h a t s o m e o f m a i n i s s u e s a r e w i t h t h e p o p ula t i o n s s e r v e d i n
t h e c h o s en p o s i t i o n .
 F i n a l l y, f o c us o n t h i s p o s i t i o n i n a b i t m o r e d et a i l i n o r d e r to ex a m i n e t h e f o l l ow i n g
c o n c e p t s , w h i c h w i l l h av e b e e n a d d r e s s e d t h r o u g h o ut t h i s c o u r s e .
 W h a t d o yo u b e l i ev e a t y p i c al d ay m i g h t l o o k l i ke i n t h i s p o s i t i o n ?
 W h a t f u n d i n g s u p po r t s m o s t a g e n c i e s s e r v i n g t h i s p o p ul a t i o n? W h a t r e s o urc e s a r e
av a i l a b l e to c l i e n t s a s w e l l a s t h o s e s e r v i n g t h i s p o p ul a t io n ?
 W h a t i s yo u r c o n c l us i o n r e g a r d in g j o b s a t i s f a c t io n f o r h u m a n s e r v i c e p r o fe s s i o n al s
choosing similar career paths?
A SNAPSHOT OF HOMELESSNESS IN
AMERICA
 Homelessness is increasing in the US,
particularly among families with children.
 To c o n f r o n t t h e p r o b l e m o f h o m e l e s s n e s s ,
i t m u s t f i r s t b e d e te r m i n e d W H O i s
homeless.
 Why is this a problem?
 What does the term “the hidden homeless”
refer to?
 M o s t i n d i v i d u a l s w h o h av e e x p e r i e n c e d
h o m e l e s s n e s s h av e d o n e s o o n a n
i n te r m i t t e n t b a s i s w h e r e h o m e l e s s n e s s
o c c u r s i n a n o n g o i n g c yc l e o f te m p o r a r y o r
te n u o u s h o u s i n g l e a d i n g to e v e n t u a l
h o m e l e s s n e s s d u e to e c o n o m i c i n s t a b i l i t y.
 Who are the chronically homeless?
 15% are vets
 4% are persons with HIV and
unaccompanied youth,
 13% are victims of DV
 28% are suffering from severe mental
illness
 39% have a chronic substance abuse
problem
http://www.beta-gibbs.pcsb.org/essays/13938.html
THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS
 In general, most people’s
attitudes toward the poor and
the homeless are negative,
and the stigma that has
always been associated with
pover ty seems to increase
when the poor become
homeless.
 What are some commonly held
beliefs about homeless
individuals?
 Research points to social and
structural issues as the
primar y cause of pover ty.
 Can you give an example of a
social or structural issue that
might lead to poverty and/or
homelessness?
 What is the Fundamental
Attribution Error?
http://www.foreclosurelistings.com/
HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE US
 P r i o r to t h e M i d d le A g e s : t h e e a r l y
c h u rc h w a s r e s p o n s i b le f o r t h e c a r e o f
t h e p o o r, i n c l ud in g t h o s e w i t h o ut
homes. (The “deserving poor”.
 T h r o ug h t h e M i d d l e A g e s : t h e h o m e l e s s
p o p ul a t io n c o n s i ste d p r i m a r il y o f t h e
w a n d e r i n g p o o r, t h o s e i n d i v i d ual s , m o s t
c o m m o nl y m e n , w h o m i g r a te d f o r
e m p l oym e n t .
 T h e E n g l i s h p o o r l aw s ( w h i c h w e r e
a d o p te d b y m a ny o f t h e A m e r i c a n
c o l o n i e s ) ( p g . 174 )
 Deser ving vs. undeser ving poor
 1 9 th a n d e a r l y 2 0 th C e n t u r y : H o m e l e s s
p o p ul a t io n s t i l l c o n s i s te d p r i m a r i ly o f
m e n , e i t h e r v a g r a n t o r m i g r a n t w o r ke r s .
 T h e G r e a t D e p r e s s i o n : Fa m i l ie s b e g a n
to a p p e a r o n t h e h o m e l e ss s c e n e i n
s i g n i fi ca n t n u m b e r s .
 How did the Great Depression change
the nation’s view on poverty and the
homeless?
http://rachel-rrc4.blogspot.com/
THE CONTEMPORARY PICTURE OF
HOMELESSNESS
 1 97 0 s a n d 1 9 8 0 s s aw a d r a m a ti c
i n c r e a se i n t h e h o m e l e s s n e s s o f
families.
 A s t u d y d o n e i n 1 9 9 9 fo u n d t h a t o f
a l l t h e h o m e l e ss f a m i l i e s, a b o u t
8 0 % we r e h e a d e d by a s i n g l e p a r e n t,
a n d o f t h e s e a p p rox i m a te l y 9 5 %
we r e fe m a l e .
 T h e g r e a t m a j o ri ty o f h o m e l e s s
s i n g l e m ot h e r s a r e a p p rox 2 5 ye a r s
o l d , w i t h 2 - 3 c h i l d re n i n t h e
p r e s c h ool to 6 ye a r s o f a g e r a n g e .
M a j o ri ty o f t h e s e s i n g l e m ot h e r s a r e
U S C i t i z e n s, n a t i ve b o r n , a n d fl u e n t
in English.
 H ow a r e t h e n e e d s o f a h o m e l e s s
f a m i l y d i f fe re n t t h a t t h a n t h o s e o f a
h o m e l e ss i n di v i du a l ?
 W h a t a r e s o m e r e a s o n s we a r e
seeing more homeless families on
t h e s t r e et ? ( P g . 177 )
http://www.gnhregionalalliance.org/home/who-is-homeless
HOMELESS SHELTER LIVING AND ACADEMICS
FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
 Many emergency
shelters are not
equipped to serve
families.
 What are some issues and
problems logistically?
 What impact does shelter
life have the mother-child
relationship?
 How can we mitigate the
effect that homelessness
has on the educational
progress of children who
are homeless?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/economy-creates-more-homeless-families-stresses-for-shelters/1048175
RUNAWAY YOUTH
 The estimated number of
runaway youth living on the
streets in the US is as high as
2 million.
 The risk factor s and
inter vention needs for this
population are considerably
dif ferent. How so?
 What are some reasons
kids/teens end up on the
streets?
 HSP working with this
population must provide
consistent, compassionate
care, and under standing that
promotes both self -esteem
and self-ef ficacy in these
emotionally broken and
bruised teens.
 One-on-one relationships
where trust can grow
http://www.billwilsoncenter.org/services/all/runaway.html
SINGLE MEN, THE MENTALLY ILL, &
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
 Although single-parent
families now comprise a
large proportion of the
homeless population, just
less than 50% of the
homeless population
consists of men, many of
whom are single, some of
whom are mentally ill,
some of whom have
substance abuse issues,
and most of whom are
veterans.
 Veteran services addresses
man of these issues in
programs designed to meet
the complex needs of the
homeless population who
were enrolled in the armed
services.
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/photos/homeless-man
OLDER ADULT ELDERLY HOMELESS
PEOPLE
 The number of homeless
older adults is expected to
increase as the baby
boomer generation ages.
 Dif ferences exist between
homelessness among
younger and older persons,
both in terms of the root
causes of homelessness
and ef fective responses.
How so?
 Older adult homeless
persons report being
without shelter for far
longer periods than younger
individuals.
 This group also has
increased vulnerability.
Give examples.
http://blogs.longwood.edu/nancymcdonald/2011/02/23/you-have-no-home-no-possessions-and-no-source-of-income-now-what/
CURRENT POLICIES & LEGISLATION
 Governmental policies
designed to meet the needs of
the homeless population are
often targeted to subgroups.
 The McKinneyy -Vento
Homeless Assistance Act of
1987: guarantees government
assistance for the homeless
and homeless services and
increases in federal funding
from passage to the mid1990s has been significant.
 Other legislation although not
directly aimed at preventing
homelessness has certainly
had an impact on the
homeless population.
 Transition from AFDC to TANF
http://www.usa.lighting.philips.com/lightcommunity/trends/legislation/
THE ROLE OF THE HSP: WORKING WITH
THE HOMELESS POPULATION
 Research indicates that
children who have
experienced extreme
poverty and homelessness
are at risk for higher rates
of physical illnesses,
depression, anxiety,
behavioral problems,
learning problems, and low
self-esteem.
 The most significant role
HSP play is advocating for
the homeless population.
 Empowerment and
networking
 Single moms, bad
relationships, and the HSP
response
http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2011/05/empowerment-101.html
COMMON PRACTICE SETTINGS FOR WORKING
WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION
Programs designed
to aid the homeless
are offered in 3
levels of service:
 Emergency shelters
and daytime drop-in
centers
 Transitional housing
programs
 Public housing
projects provided by
HUD
http://www.stjamesnl.org/shelter