Mental Illness a contributer to Homelessness?

According to Food Bank of the Rockies dot org, approximately 22% of homeless people suffer from chronic mental illness where as only 11% are veterans and oddly enough, 20% have regular employment.

This site claims that the vast majority of homeless persons with a mental illness could achieve stability if the appropriate services were available.

A study of 27 U.S. cities found that in 2001, 37% of all requests for emergency shelter went unmet due to lack of resources – a 13% increase from the previous year. For families, the numbers are even worse: 52% of emergency shelter requests from families were denied, a 22% increase from last year. (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005).

And to make matters worse, the Food Bank of the Rockies also says that homeless children have four times the rate of developmental delays from children with homes, twice the number of learning disabilities, and have three times as many emotional and behavioral problems. (National Coalition for the Homeless).

So not only are the mentally ill becoming homeless but the homeless are breeding more mentally ill persons. It’s a vicious cycle that could be potentially avoided through two things;  first, better knowledge of the causes, effects, and preventions for developmental delays and mental illnesses by our own citizens; and two, appropriate services available at the time and place of need.