ADANTA - A Look at Mental Illness and Homelessness
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When we think of homelessness , we tend to think big cities and images of people sleeping on park benches or camping out under bridges – the “ street people ” as they are sometimes called . While the problem may seem all too common in cities , it certainly is not limited to large urban areas . In fact , the rates of homelessness are increasing , and it is estimated that there are over half a million people experiencing homelessness in the United
States . The most recent homeless data analyzed by state showed that Kentucky ranked 27th in the highest percentage of homelessness in the US . Veterans accounted for 447 of the 4011 homeless individuals in Kentucky while 211 were identified as young adults .
Is there a connection between mental illness and homelessness ?
The relationship between mental illness and homelessness has been studied for years . In the 1960s , a movement of de-institutionalization led to many psychiatric hospital patients with severe mental illness being discharged to group homes , shelters , and the streets . This contributed to a belief that mental illness accounted for much of the homelessness in the United States . However , studies have consistently found that only about a third of homeless individuals have a severe mental illness
August 2022 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 43