Why are so many people experiencing homelessness in big cities in the U.S., and what can be done to help? (with Kevin Adler)
Apr 10, 2024
auto_awesome
Kevin Adler, a social entrepreneur and author, dives deep into the complex issue of homelessness in U.S. cities. He highlights the stark realities and misconceptions surrounding unhoused individuals, advocating for person-first language that fosters empathy. The conversation explores causes like mental health struggles and economic factors, while addressing systemic barriers to treatment. Adler emphasizes the importance of community support and examines the vital social connections that can aid recovery. He argues for compassionate alternatives to traditional law enforcement responses for those in crisis.
Addressing chronic homelessness requires tackling societal failures in healthcare, housing, and socioeconomic status.
Youth homelessness serves as a crucial predictor of future chronic homelessness in adults.
Assisting individuals with severe schizophrenia on the streets necessitates access to treatment, medication, and ongoing housing support.
Efforts to help homeless individuals must prioritize long-term solutions over temporary fixes to create sustainable outcomes.
Deep dives
Factors Contributing to Homelessness
The podcast discusses various factors contributing to homelessness, particularly chronic homelessness, including poverty, lack of strong social ties, challenges faced by individuals aging out of foster care, involvement in the criminal justice system, and deinstitutionalization of mental health care. The narrative highlights the intersectionality of homelessness, showing how broken systems in health care, housing, and socioeconomic status often lead individuals to experience chronic homelessness.
Impact of Substance Abuse on Homelessness
In examining the impact of substance abuse on individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, both causal and consequential aspects are highlighted. The podcast emphasizes deinstitutionalization's role in shifting individuals with mental health and substance abuse challenges from institutions to the streets and criminal justice system. A personal story of Timothy illustrates the challenges faced by individuals with felony records, limited access to housing, public benefits, and work opportunities, leading to a lifetime of second-class citizenship and homelessness.
Vulnerability of Youth to Chronic Homelessness
The podcast delves into the vulnerability of youth to chronic homelessness, with over 50% of homeless adults having experienced homelessness during their youth. The discussion explores the significance of factors like aging out of foster care, especially for black young people, the higher likelihood of homelessness, and the correlation between youth homelessness and chronic homelessness in adulthood. The narrative underscores the need to address youth homelessness as a key predictor of future chronic homelessness.
Intersectional Complexity of Homelessness
The podcast emphasizes the complexity of homelessness as an intersectional issue, influenced by factors such as mental health, substance abuse, poverty, and involvement in the criminal justice system. Anecdotal stories and data are used to illustrate how systemic failures across various sectors contribute to chronic homelessness. By unraveling the intricate web of interconnected challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, the narrative invites a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of chronic homelessness.
The Ideal System for Helping Individuals with Severe Schizophrenia
In a well-designed system to assist individuals with severe schizophrenia living on the streets, providing access to necessary treatment and medication for stabilization is crucial. Additionally, offering housing assistance and ongoing support as part of their recovery journey is vital. Treatment plays a significant role in enabling stability and societal integration for those with schizophrenia, emphasizing the importance of accessing treatment for a better quality of life.
Challenges in Providing Treatment for Individuals with Schizophrenia
One of the complex aspects in helping individuals with schizophrenia revolves around the willingness and capacity of the person to engage with treatment. The variability in accepting treatment, influenced by daily fluctuations in mood and mindset, highlights the importance of approaching individuals with care and understanding. Ensuring open doors and available support regardless of the individual's readiness for treatment is crucial in addressing the challenges of providing effective care.
The Struggle of Basic Needs for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
The podcast delves into the immense challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness in meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, hygiene, and money. A 24-hour experiment conducted to observe the struggles revealed the exhaustive and time-consuming effort required to fulfill these fundamental requirements. The episode sheds light on the significant difficulties individuals face in navigating daily survival without adequate resources or support.
Barriers and Inefficiencies in Homeless Support Systems
The discussion exposes the glaring inefficiencies in homeless support systems, particularly in areas like New York and San Francisco, where temporary solutions often overshadow long-term care. Despite substantial financial investments in homeless individuals, the lack of coordinated long-term recovery and support results in recurring crises and inadequate outcomes. The fragmented and under-resourced nature of homeless services underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and sustainable solutions to address homelessness effectively.
How big of a problem is homelessness in the US? How many people in large cities like New York City or Los Angeles are unhoused? What's the best language to use when discussing this issue? How is "homelessness" defined? We usually don't label people without food or water as "foodless" or "waterless"; so why do we label people without homes as "homeless"? Why do we so often look away from the problem, both literally and figuratively? What are the most common events or circumstances that cause people to lose their housing options? What does research show about how unhoused people actually spend their money? What percentage of an average city's unhoused population is represented by the "visible" portion, the people we see on street corners or in tent camps? What percent of unhoused people struggle with mental health problems or substance abuse? What's the average life expectancy of an unhoused person? How much do governments (local, state, and/or federal) spend on homelessness annually? What's the best predictor of whether or not a person will suffer from chronic homelessness? What help — from government institutions, religious organizations, nonprofits, etc. — is available to unhoused people? How hard is it to meet your basic needs when you don't have a place to live? What should we do about unhoused people who refuse help or treatment for mental illnesses or substance abuse? Which nonprofits are working on homelessness? And what kinds of impacts have they made? What interventions are actually effective at solving homelessness on a large scale? What mistakes have the political left and right (in the US) made as they've tried to address homelessness? Demographically speaking, what kinds of people tend to make up unhoused populations in the US?
Kevin F. Adler is a social entrepreneur, sociologist, and author who never learned the word "stranger", and tries to live accordingly. Currently, he is the Founder-In-Residence and Chairman of the Board of Miracle Messages, a nonprofit organization that helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for unhoused individuals in the US. He is also the bestselling author of When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America, which Publishers Weekly called "a must-read for anyone interested in solving the problem of homelessness." Kevin's pioneering work on homelessness and "relational poverty" as an overlooked form of poverty has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, The Guardian, LA Times, and in his TED Talk. Motivated by his late mother's work teaching at underserved adult schools and nursing homes, and his late uncle's 30 years living on the streets, Kevin believes in a future where everyone is seen as invaluable and interconnected. Learn more about Kevin and his work at his website, kevinfadler.com, follow him on Instagram at @kevinfadler, or email him at kevin@miraclemessages.org.
