Welcome to our new format - Topic of the Quarter! For our first theme we will be exploring the link between homelessness and behavioral health. The reason I started here was twofold. Homelessness is on the rise, with the decline in affordable housing options and the economic upheaval brought on by COVID 19, and the stigma surrounding it in both personal attitudes and public policy is rampant and unchallenged in our day-to-day lives. It is also deeply personal in both my past experiences with housing insecurity and my professional career working in housing services.
I also wanted to introduce or solidify the idea that housing insecurity is a behavioral health issue and highlight the link between access to housing and healthcare. Research shows us that mental illness “preceded homelessness in about two-thirds of the cases”(1). People experiencing homelessness are also much more likely to be struggling with substance use disorders and be exposed to trauma. All of this and more will be discussed in the upcoming Stigma Article.
We will also be paying particular attention to those living outside of the shelter system. “For the first time since the government began doing the annual count, the number of single adults living outside — 209,413 — exceeded the number of individuals living in shelters — 199,478.” (2) These numbers are outdated and do not reflect the pandemic, a set of circumstances that are expected to both grow these numbers and increase the divide. Our recovery story this month will feature someone currently facing street homelessness and working to secure housing. Storytelling can be a powerful tool in reducing stigma by helping people better connect by being able to put a human voice to the issue at hand.
We will also see our typical curated articles and various extra content scattered throughout the Distorted Perceptions Facebook page, Instagram page, and on our website. Stigma and poor policy might push for people experiencing homelessness to become invisible, but we ask you to #RefocusLookAgain.
Stay tuned!
Nina