January 16, 2006
Schizophrenia, Homelessness in Canada
This writeup by the "National Union of Public and General Employees" in Canada suggests that the homeless problem in Canada is bad, and getting worse - and since a significant portion of the homeless have schizophrenia - this is a significant issue. The paper states:
Homelessness is a growing problem in Canada. As successive governments have reduced social service spending throughout the country, more and more Canadians have found themselves on the streets. There are as many reasons for being homeless as there are homeless people, however, mental illness and addictions are certainly two factors. People who are homeless come from all walks of life, both well and uneducated, highly skilled and those who have never worked. The people are the brothers and sisters and parents who become detached from or burn bridges with their family systems and eventually have nowhere left to go except to the street.
See full paper: Canada's homelessness crisis is a national disgrace
Posted by szadmin at January 16, 2006 06:45 PM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Housing
Comments
"They would choose to be housed if the option was there."
Many of my folks are so ill that they are afraid to go inside because they are having hallucinations about the furniture, many can't even walk down a hallway in an apartment building without acting out. Many get beaten up regularly by patients in drop in centers and mental health service places, their symptoms are so disruptive and offensive even to other mentally ill people. Furthermore, most of my folks would get evicted in 48 hrs from any housing supplied to them.
Many of my folks can't even get into an enclosed space with another person on the STREET, or ride a bus, or safely cross a street, or go to a store, or do anything else involved in having housing.
Even THIS article is denying the severity of many chronically homeless mentally ill. It is most emphatically NOT about just providing housing. The problem goes far, far deeper than that.
Posted by: slc at January 17, 2006 06:06 PM
Post a comment
"They would choose to be housed if the option was there."
Many of my folks are so ill that they are afraid to go inside because they are having hallucinations about the furniture, many can't even walk down a hallway in an apartment building without acting out. Many get beaten up regularly by patients in drop in centers and mental health service places, their symptoms are so disruptive and offensive even to other mentally ill people. Furthermore, most of my folks would get evicted in 48 hrs from any housing supplied to them.
Many of my folks can't even get into an enclosed space with another person on the STREET, or ride a bus, or safely cross a street, or go to a store, or do anything else involved in having housing.
Even THIS article is denying the severity of many chronically homeless mentally ill. It is most emphatically NOT about just providing housing. The problem goes far, far deeper than that.
Posted by: slc at January 17, 2006 06:06 PM