Substance Abuse
An estimated 50 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness with a mental illness also have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder. - National Healthcare for the Homeless Clinician’s Network
Substance abuse is both a consequence of and a leading factor in the continuance of homelessness among individuals. It is estimated that nearly half of all individuals experiencing homelessness, and 70 percent of Veterans experiencing homelessness, suffer from substance abuse disorders. A majority of those with substance abuse disorders also suffer from moderate to severe mental illness. Substance abuse is also a prevalent characteristic among unaccompanied youth.
Many individuals with substance abuse problems face multiple barriers to accessing housing while suffering from addiction, as many shelters require sobriety to access their services and they are “screened out” of public housing. Chronic homelessness is associated with alcohol and illicit substance abuse. Being without a stable place during substance abuse recovery only increases the likelihood that these treatments will fail.
There are solutions that work: permanent supportive housing, which provides holistic case management and supportive services for substance abuse treatment, is an effective way to end chronic homelessness and substance abuse.
Programs
Access to Recovery
The Access to Recovery program began in 2007 to provide vouchers for low-income individuals to access clinical treatment and recovery ...
Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program
The Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program funds the development and implementation of drug treatment courts in state and local ...
Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals
The Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals Program (GBHI) enables communities to expand and strengthen their treatment ...
Projects for the Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
Projects for the Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) supports programs that provide services for individuals ...
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) administers the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block ...
Supportive Housing Program
The Supportive Housing Program (SHP) is designed to promote the development of housing and supportive services to assist homeless ...
Related Research
A SAMHSA Research Initiative Assessing the Effectiveness of Jail Diversion Programs for Mentally Ill
Henry J. Steadman, Ph.D., Martha Williams Deane, M.A., Joseph P. Morrissey, Ph.D., Mary L. Westcott, Ph.D., Susan Salasin and Steven ...
Homelessness, substance misuse, and access to public entitlements in a soup kitchen population
Peter C. Nwakeze, Ph.D., Stephen Magura, Ph.D., C.S.W., Andrew Rosenblum, Ph.D., and Herman Joseph, Ph.D. 2003 This study examines ...
Homelessness, Substance Misuse, and Access to Public Entitlements in a soup kitchen population
Peter C. Nwakeze, Stephen Magura, Andrew Rosenblum, and Herman Joseph January 2003 This study examines the effects of homelessness ...
Impact of Supported Housing on Clinical Outcomes
An-Lin Cheng, Haiqun Lin, Wesley Kasprow, Robert A. Rosenheck January 2007 In 1992, the US Department of Housing and Urban ...
Treating Homeless Clients with Severe Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorders
Gary A. Morse, Robert J. Calsyn, W. Dean Klinkenberg, Thomas W. Helminiak, Nancy Wolff, Robert E. Drake, Robert D. Yonker, Gyanesh ...
A Modified Therapeutic Community for Homeless Persons
Darren C. Skinner January 2005 This article, "A Modified Therapeutic Community for Homeless Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders of ...
Health Care and Public Service Use and Costs Before and After Provision of Housing for Chronically Homeless Persons With Severe Alcohol Problems
Mary E. Larimer, Daniel K. Malone, Michelle D. Garner, David C. Atkins, Bonnie Burlingham, Heather S. Lonczak, Kenneth Tanzer, Joshua ...
Impact of the San Diego Serial Inebriate Program
James V. Dunford, Edward M. Castillo, Theodore C. Chan, Gary M. Vilke, MD, Peter Jenson and Suzanne P. Lindsay January 2006 The ...
Costs and Effectiveness of Substance Abuse Treatments For Homeless Persons
Joseph E. Schumacher, Stephen T. Mennemeyer, Jesse B. Milby, Dennis Wallace and Kim Nolan June 2002 This study presents a cost ...
Subjective Versus Objective Definitions of Homelessness: Are There Differences in Risk Factors Among Heavy-Drinking Women?
Karin M. Eyrich-Garg, Catina Callahan O’Leary and Linda B. Cottler September 2008 Investigations with homeless populations ...
