ABSTRACT: A disheveled, malodorous man treading across the subway cart with a
begging cup in hand. Some people try to avoid eye contact, others just pretend he’s
invisible. Maybe two or three people toss in some loose change, if he’s lucky. Millions
of New Yorkers ride the subway everyday, and practically every single one of them can
recognize this image. Homelessness has plagued the entire globe, but this study will
focus primarily on New York and its Department of Health’s efforts to seek the root
of the issue and solve it. Many factors come into play, but in particular, this study is
interested in the relationship between mental health and homelessness. Drug addicts
and alcoholics are often the identities tied to the homeless, so often that many begin to question the amount of money spent on the cause. However, the effect of homelessness on the mental health of children and even single mothers should also be taken into consideration. It is unfortunate that only a fraction of the homeless seek the help available to them, and I intend to see what changes the NYC Department of Health is making to adjust those numbers. This problem has persisted for ages, afflicting more than just alcoholics and drug addicts, so what is the Department of Health doing wrong, what is it doing right, and what will be done?
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Elliot, Marta, and Lauren Krivo. “Structural Determinants of Homelessness in the United States.” Social Problems 38, no. 1 (1991): 113-131.
This article analyzes the major contributing factors to homelessness in order to understand the lifestyle and how it came to be. It has concluded that mental health care and the limited number of low-cost houses are most correlated to the growing rates of homelessness. This suggests that an improvement in these two areas should result in a drastically reduced homeless population, and therefore, the NYC Department of Health’s work in these areas should be critically evaluated.
Freeman, Richard, and Brian Hall. “Permanent Homelessness in America?.” Population Research and Policy Review 6, no. 1 (1987): 3-27.
This article dives into the statistics concerning the homeless. It looks at the relative number of homeless people, how long they’ll probably remain homeless, and the percentage of the homeless that actually receives federal aid. This will be very beneficial when illustrating how this situation is escalating and to see what others are predicting for the future of the homeless.
Kerker, Bainbridge J, Li W, Kennedy J, Bennani Y, Agerton T, Marder D, Torian L, Tsoi B, Appel K, and Gutkovich A. The Health of Homeless Adults in New York City: A report from the New York City Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene and Homeless Services, 2005.
This report is very recent, and it shows what efforts New York City has and intends to make in order to lessen and eventually eliminate this problem of homelessness. With graphs, numbers, and charts, it presents a very clear view of how large the issue has become and what the Department of Health is doing about it. Being that my focus is on the role of the department in this matter, this report is essential in illustrating the progression toward a homeless-free city.
Melamed, Yuval, Dafna Fromer, Ziona Kemelman, and Yoram Barak. “Working with Mentally Ill Homeless Persons: Should We Respect Their Quest for Anonymity?.” Journal of Medical Ethics 26, no. 3 (2000): 175-178.
This article recognizes the vast population of homeless persons who suffer from mental illness, and it attempts to find the “right” way in assisting them. The question of whether or not they should even be helped arises, because these homeless people naturally have the right to remain on the streets if they choose to. However, this article questions their capability to make healthy decisions and also seeks the appropriate degree to which exterior forces should take action. This ultimately raises the question of how much of the city’s money should be given to people who might not even want it.
Padgett, Deborah, Elmer Struening, and Howard Andrews. “Factors Affecting the Use of Medical, Mental Health, Alcohol, and Drug Treatment Services by Homeless Adults.” Medical Care 28, no. 9 (1990): 805-821.
This article discusses the utilization of the services provided to the homeless. It is understood that many of the homeless suffer from substance abuse, and unfortunately the majority of them do not use the treatment services available to them. The authors recognize the need to better understand the homeless and their mentality in order to achieve the best results: the majority of the homeless seeking assistance on their own accord.
