...As the world hungers for the love and presence of God there are people that are homeless and hungry. I take drives in the early morning on the weekends frequently into downtown Denver in Colorado where I live and I see our streets crowded with homeless people. As I drive I observe many sitting on the ground in the cold weather, their clothes are ripped and dirty. Beside them is either a grocery cart full of items that they have collected from the trash or bags packed with clothes, food, and other items that they have collected from the homeless shelters or the trashcan that they rummaged through to eat to survive. I noticed some just sit there with a blank stare on their faces wondering off into the distance with their mind. Some are trading the collectibles that to them are of...
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...that the attached paper, which was produced for the class identified above, is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or by anyone else for any class. I further declare that I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any and all assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. This paper includes no trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet, which I do not have written permission to include. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature (name typed here is equivalent to a signature): Christopher Holland Introduction The purpose of this paper is to explore the homeless population in the United States while thinking critically. The research for this paper shall detail the history of homeless from its first noticeable conception. The paper will examine the time line of homelessness stating contributing factors as well as detailing the homeless struggle. This paper shall research the nature of the social problems or issues experienced by homeless people meanwhile showing the stereotyping and discrimination of homeless people. This paper will explore the different demographic groups along with common clinical issues and intervention strategies. After the research has explored the...
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...A large number of homeless people entered the street in the 1970s. A large contributing factor is because of deinstitutionalization of medically ill, as well as the changes in housing stock, which led to a dramatic decline of single-room housing that began in the 1950s (Coalition). These single-room housing units provided low-cost housing for low-income families due to several factors such as the shared kitchen and bathroom systems (Coalition). “In 1960, by one measure, there were approximately 129,000 single-room housing units citywide. By the 1970s, single-room housing had become the “housing of last resort” for poor single adults, many of whom were disabled, elderly, addicts, or ex-inmates,” (Coalition). Besides the simple cut of single-room housing, this deinstitutionalization led a discharge of tens of thousands of mentally ill individuals to the New York City communities. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, “between 1965 and 1979 alone, the number of resident patients in State psychiatric centers fell from 85,000 to 27,000, which was a 68 percent decline.” This policy of deinstitutionalization was due to new and different medications and new approaches in providing treatment in a community setting. Because of the deinstitutionalization, single-room housing units became a key place for those...
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...the vast number of research done by Americans on homelessness, little is still known about the effect that it has on our society. The overall image that emerges from the effects of homeless people is negative: they’re seen as lazy, drug users, alcoholics, and worthless. This study recovers some of the homelessness perspective for an American audience through research, data, and an interview by a homeless person living in Georgia. This study will allow explanations and will challenge three widely held assumptions of the homeless people living in America: 1) Homeless people are lazy; 2) Homeless people are all drug and alcohol users and abusers; 3) Homeless people brought it on themselves. This research is to add nuance to our understanding about the social problem stated. Homelessness qualifies as a “social problem” because it doesn’t just affect the homeless but the nation as well. This paper will hopefully contribute more knowledge and understanding about the effects of homelessness in America. There has been a plethora of research done on homelessness in America since the 1980’s, but there has been changing quality and has left areas uninvestigated. According to Ravenhill (2011), In 2000 there was a survey done by researchers that included; the state of knowledge, finding growing interest in the social and economic factors underlying homelessness, increasing sophistication in the identification of ‘risk’ facts, and evolving expertise in helping people resettle. However...
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...Fundamentals of Research Stephan A. Bell BSHS 381 Research and Statistics for the Social Sciences 10 December 2012 Dr. Christine Cutis This paper will offer explanation of how scientific method and scientific research can be used in the Human Service field. This paper will also cover the steps involved in scientific inquiry and why the steps are of importance, then provide an example a scientific method related to the Human Services field. Also discussed will be a brief description of qualitative research and quantitative research, explaining the differences in both models and how the methods relate to the Human Service field and the scientific method. Discussion will concern quantitative and qualitative research methodology, define mixed method research, and describe its strengths. The scientific method can be explained as a method for research and study that is applied to investigate observations and to bring answers to questions. Within the scientific method researches can exploit the cause and effect relationships. Stated plainly, they can plan a study so that changes to an entity of the study influence something else in the study to vary in an unpredictable or expected manner. In the Human Service field, these method may relates if there is an upsurge in child abuse, or joblessness, or homelessness, replies offering results are required to answer the questions related to the upsurge. The only path to those replies can be done through research. In the “Scientific...
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...Introducing Sociology Unit 1 – Individual Project Following the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines Kessa Barnes American Intercontinental University Abstract According to sociologist, C.Wright Mills, people often believe that their private lives can only be explained in terms of their personal successes and failures. They fail to see the links between their own individual lives and the society around them. The process of interpreting your individual life in the context of your community or the society in which you live is called the sociological imagination. In this research paper, I will discuss how being a homeless person have an impact on society, I will explain how being homeless can affect a person mental and physical health, it can have an impact on the crime rate, and it can have a major impact on the taxes that are paid by citizens. Sociology is the study of society and the human social interaction. Sociology is also the way of studying the social status and the social structures of society, social change, and social movements, and the breakdown of society through crime and through revolution (www.newworldencyclopedia.org). Scientist who study Sociology do research on this subject to get and understanding on how and why people live the way they do and is it a result from the environment they live in. The study of Sociology can establish a balance between theories and facts successfully using scientific methods to study social actions, its outcomes...
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... 2010, 3, 53-70 53 Open Access Outreach and Engagement in Homeless Services: A Review of the Literature Jeffrey Olivet*,1, Ellen Bassuk1,2,3, Emily Elstad1, Rachael Kenney1 and Lauren Jassil1 1 2 3 Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 120 Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C7, Canada The National Center on Family Homelessness, 181 Wells Avenue, Newton, MA 02459, USA Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA Abstract: Outreach and engagement are regarded by many who work in homeless programs as essential services. Outreach on the streets and in shelters is often the first point of contact for people who are not served by traditional sitebased services and is often the first step in engaging homeless people in services. While outreach and engagement are critical components of the response to homelessness, consensus is lacking about the nature and effectiveness of these services. The purpose of this paper is to examine what is known about outreach and engagement for people experiencing homelessness. The authors review quantitative studies that examine outcomes and augment this understanding with information from qualitative studies and non-research literature. The latter provides information about the goals of outreach, assumptions and values, staffing issues, and consumer involvement. The paper concludes with implications for practice, policy, and research. Keywords: Homeless/homelessness, outreach, engagement, review. INTRODUCTION At a recent...
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...disease in the community, and investigate and evaluate interventions to prevent disease and maintain health. (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiology today is considered to be the core science of public health and is described as a constellation of disciplines with a common mission: optimal health for the whole community (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). Epidemiology has reformed public health and continues to strive for disease prevention and health promotion in communities across the world. The population and disease that will be discussed in relation to epidemiology in this paper with be of HIV in the homeless population. This paper will focus on the homeless population in regards to their vulnerability and susceptibility to HIV, along with the epidemiology and levels of prevention. This paper will also discuss the definition and purpose of epidemiology, epidemiological methods, the...
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... Introduction This paper is an overview of homeless veterans in the United States. I will discuss how this issue fits into the field of sociology while determining which sociological theories from our text apply. Next, I will explain what is known and unknown about America’s homeless veterans. Then, I will discuss the value of sociological research into this issue. Finally, I will determine if there are practical implications of sociological inquiry. There is a serious homeless problem that plagues many Americans, including those Americans that fought for our country. Although we tend to hold servicemen in high regard, many people are very insensitive to those veterans that become homeless. Most people believe that homelessness is due to controllable factors such as laziness or refusal to work. Nothing can be further from the truth. Veterans not only make up a disproportionate percentage of the homeless population, but also stay homeless for longer. In fact, veterans are at a greater risk of becoming homeless due to a number of factors including unique military skills not needed in the civilian sector, combat-related health issues, minimal income due to unemployment, and a shortage of safe, affordable housing. Prior to becoming homeless, many veterans at risk of homelessness have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or have acquired addictions during their military service. “At least 45 percent of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness...
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...Homeless Youth: Research, Intervention, and Policy by Karen Spuriel Coleman- MBA Abstract Homelessness among youth in the U.S. is disturbingly common, with an estimated annual prevalence of at least 5 percent for those ages 12 to 17. Although homeless youth appear throughout the nation, they are most visible in major cities. Rigorous research on this special population is sparse, making it difficult to capture an accurate and complete picture. Despite its limitations, recent research describes homeless youth as a large and diverse group. Many homeless youth have multiple overlapping problems including medical, substance abuse, and emotional and mental problems. Literature suggests that comprehensive and tailored services are needed that address both the immediate and long-term needs of homeless youth. Where appropriate, services should include assistance with meeting basic needs as perceived by youth as a gateway to other needed services. In addition to serving those already homeless, interventions are needed to prevent homelessness among at-risk youth. Lessons for Practitioners, Policy Makers, and Researchers • As used here, the term “homeless youth” focuses on minors who have experienced literal homelessness on their own—i.e., who have spent at least one night either in a shelter or "on the streets" without adult supervision. On occasion, where warranted by the research being discussed, the term is also used to describe homeless young adults up to age 24. • Homelessness...
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...tired and heavy eyes, and for the rest of the evening and into the night you slept on a pillow of dreams. This is in essence the American dream is it not? To have the basic needs that to some may come as a surprise, many Americans do not have. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “In January 2014, there were 578,424 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States” (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2015). Many people would be in agreement that the above noted agenda is fairly normal; shelter, food, clothing, education, and family are all blessings and amenities that we take for granted but nonetheless are things that every individual deserves to have. Unfortunately, these are things that many people must suffer without. Scholarly research that spans over the course of two decades has continually and firmly established the emergence and persistence of indigent and homeless individuals in the United States. Our growing understanding of homelessness comes from literature that emphasizes characteristics of the homeless and the factors that can be held responsible. Unfortunately, this research indicates that homelessness is a product of the individual or his or her characteristics and not due to structural or community circumstances. If the literature where to...
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...in. Along with that, the person is deprived of the legal and the social dimensions making him emotionally weak and in the state of isolation. Since the year 1980s, there had been a great shock to the Americans due to the rising homelessness. This led to a burst in the studies and the rising stories related to the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of July 1987. In this act, there was an interference allowed of the federal government into this policy of homelessness, which had created many issues. For many years after that, this issue of homelessness remained on the top of the line in the political issues face by the Californian government. Basically the non-profit organizations focused on improving the life quality of the people in the city, especially those who did not have a place to spend their nights. It is a fact that there should be some very efficient approach to eliminate this homelessness problem, the Californian government has taken some steps and brought in a modest change in their policies to attack this homelessness problem very obviously. Their main change in the policy was to provide housing to the poor and the needy people (Hombs, Mary Ellen, and Mitch Snyder, 1982). Despite this action which the government took, there had been a consensus in the year 1980 which reflected the fact that the homelessness in US and in California have been substantially increasing in the year. Social scientists (Jencks, 1994), after conducting a huge survey, came to a conclusion...
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...SPECIAL POPULATIONS PAPER Special Populations Jennifer Kendricks Debbie Prince: BSHS/404 February 27, 2010 Special Populations There are many special needs populations in the world, including HIV patients, children with disabilities, and the homeless. This research will focus on homeless women because of the fact that there are a number of resources available for women. Homeless women make up a large majority of the homeless population and many homeless women are not aware of the resources available to them. Obtaining jobs can be very hard for homeless women because of the fact that the person would need to have an address to get a job and many homeless women may think that getting the assistance needed to survive will be just as hard. Case managers can be very beneficial to homeless women in providing resources for shelter, health care, and food assistance. Case managers can refer homeless women to the various resources available to them as well as assist them with the applications and eligibility requirements. “Homeless women have a number of important programs available to them to address their health and social services needs; however, they may be deterred from seeking these benefits by complex eligibility criteria and application procedures” (Heslin, Andersen, & Gelberg, n.d., ). One of the problems with homeless women receiving assistance is a lack of knowledge. Due to the fact that homeless women do not have...
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...Epidemiology, Tuberculosis, and the Homeless Population Rebecca J Buck NUR 408 July 29, 2013 Felita Patterson Epidemiology, Tuberculosis, and the Homeless Population Among many misconceptions, tuberculosis is not a disease of the past. Tuberculosis remains a public health issue. It is estimated that one-third of the total world population is infected by tuberculosis (TB). The American lung association (2013) states, in 2011 alone there were nearly 9,000,000 new diagnosed cases of tuberculosis around the world and an estimated 1.4 million deaths because of this disease. In the United States, TB is not as common (but still a problem). In 2011, only 10,500 people reported having TB (Trends in Tuberculosis Morbidity and Mortality). Research shows that there are many preceding factors that predispose a person and increase the risk of contracting TB. Epidemiologists have studied and determined that many of these preceding factors are evident in vulnerable populations around the world, particularly the homeless population. The science Daily (2013) reports that “one in five homeless people with tuberculosis die within a year of their diagnosis” (Death Rate from Tuberculosis in Homeless Alarmingly High). In addition to the high death rate for TB among homeless people, public health officials also recognize a growing threat of drug resistant strains within these vulnerable populations. Theses drug resistant strains of tuberculosis require longer, more consistent treatments...
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...Ethnography Study: Personal Identities of Homeless People This paper is an ethnographic study of the personal identities of people who are homeless and living in Chicago, Illinois. People who are homeless are portrayed in and thought of in negative light. Much too often do people group homeless people into one category in terms of judging their background before meeting them; their state of homelessness has been offered as informative of who they are. Their voices and perspectives rarely contribute to broader knowledge about who they are as people. As such, the forced ‘homeless identity’ has resulted in placing them as ‘different’ than the ‘normal’ people with homes. An August 2014 analysis by Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that 138,575 Chicagoans were homeless in the course of the 2013-14 school year. This is 19.4% more than the 116,042 people who were homeless a year earlier . With the recognition that homelessness is continuously increasing every year come important questions about how this happened, what could be done about it, and who are the people experiencing homelessness. This ethnography is concerned with this last question. This thesis centers on the personal identities of people experiencing homelessness. I want to understand how they see themselves on an individual level. Identities matter. Identifying people on the basis of their homelessness influences how they are thought about, and thus responded to by policy makers, service providers...
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