Research shows that people who have spent time in the foster care system tend to become homeless at an earlier age than homeless people without foster care histories. They’re also overrepresented among the homeless youth population.
It’s well known in the homeless assistance field that the foster care system itself is a feeder into youth homelessness, but this year it’s come to the attention of several senators who have introduced legislation to address the problem.
Are you a motivated, mid-level professional in the homeless assistance field? Do you want to explore best practices in the UK? If this describes you, I’ve got some exciting news: the application is now open for the Transatlantic Practice Exchange.
The Transatlantic Practice Exchange is an opportunity for five professionals from the homeless services field in the U.S., and five from the UK, to spend up to two weeks learning about a topic area of interest across the pond. During their placement, they will explore their topic with a host organization and other organizations locally. On their return, they’ll write a report on the lessons they've learned, and work to implement the lessons in their own work.
Schizophrenia affects a little more than 1 percent of the U.S. population, but it’s much more prevalent among homeless persons. Estimates are wide ranging, but some go as high as 20 percent of homeless population. That’s thousands of people living with schizophrenia and experiencing homelessness each day.
Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from a severe mental illness (SMI) – schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression. Schizophrenia is generally the most stigmatized of these three disorders, and can be the most burdensome. The symptoms, which include hallucinations, delusions and sometimes incoherent speech patterns, often make it difficult for people with the disorder to maintain relationships, access treatment, or keep employment or housing.
We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, we have a global day dedicated to giving back. Today, millions of Americans will kick off the giving season by supporting worthy causes as part of #GivingTuesday. Charities, families, businesses, community centers, students, and individuals will come together to give back to the community and support causes that make a difference in the lives of people across the world.
Here at the Alliance, we work every day to research and share solutions that will end homelessness for the thousands of individuals and families that are living in shelters and on the streets. Our staff works with federal partners to ensure that these solutions receive the funding and support needed from the national level to have a real impact on lives across the country. And our Capacity Building team trains local providers, the people working on the ground in your cities and towns, on how to best implement these solutions to end homelessness in your community.
On a given night in 2015, nearly 50,000 veterans experienced homelessness across the country, a staggering number, yet a number that represents a 36 percent decline since 2010. We’re making progress. But now administrative changes brewing at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could threaten that progress.
The changes have to do with several VA transitional housing and rapid rehousing programs that have been largely responsible for the progress we have made in recent years. In short, these changes would make certain veterans ineligible for these programs. Senior leaders at VA estimate such changes would affect approximately 15 percent of the current population served by these programs.