Mental Health
People with serious mental illnesses are over-represented among the homeless population:
While only four percent of the U.S. population has a serious mental illness, five to six times as many people who are homeless (20 to 25 percent) have serious mental illnesses. Their diagnoses include the most personally disruptive and serious mental illnesses, including severe, chronic depression; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; schizoaffective disorders; and severe personality disorders.
According to the Wilder Research Center, 32 percent of adults experiencing homelessness in Minnesota have a mental health disorder, 22 percent have a chemical dependency disorder, and 13 percent have a dual diagnosis of both disorders.
People with serious mental illnesses have greater difficulty exiting homelessness than other people. They are homeless more often and for longer periods of time than other groups of persons. Many have been on the streets for years.
They are twice as likely as other people who are homeless to be arrested or jailed, mostly for misdemeanors. They are often good candidates for diversion from jail to more appropriate treatment, support, and housing.
Providing supportive services to people in housing has proven effective in achieving residential stability, improving mental health, and reducing the costs of homelessness to the community.
Homelessness can be especially devastating to a child’s mental well-being: 12 percent of preschoolers and 47 percent of school-age children experience anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and other clinical problems. Homelessness is also linked to emotional and behavioral disorders in children: 16 percent of preschoolers and 36 percent of school-age children exhibit severe agressive, hostile, and delinquent behavior.
Links for Further Research
Further information on the impact of homelessness on mental health can be found at:
- National Resource Center and Homelessness and Mental Illness
- Fact sheet on homelessness and mental health from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
