Homelessness NSW The dynamics of homelessness: establishing the links between pathways into homeless and duration

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Homelessness NSWThe dynamics of homelessness
establishing the links between pathways into
homeless and duration
Guy JohnsonPost Doctoral Research FellowAHURI,
RMIT University guy.johnson_at_rmit.edu.au
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• Central research question
• Is there a connection between how people become
  homeless and what subsequently happens to them ?
  This includes how people respond to homelessness,
  how long they remain homeless and how they get
  out and stay out of homelessness

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What is the homeless subculture?

• . . . is not a subculture in the conventional
  sense, though, in that it is neither anchored in
  nor embodies a distinctive set of shared values.
  Rather . . . its distinctiveness resides in a
  patterned set of behaviours, routines and
  orientations that are adaptive responses to the
  predicament of homelessness itself and to the
  associated conditions of street life (Snow and
  Anderson 199376).
• Snow and Andersons definition draws attention to
  the way interactions among people experiencing
  homelessness are both patterned and routinised.
  However, these patterns and routines do not
  simply occur because of a shared set of values or
  beliefs, but also because of their common
  predicament which gives rise to an identifiably
  unique set of behaviours, daily routines and
  cognitive orientations (Snow Anderson
  199339).

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Becoming homeless

• Five ideal typical pathways into homeless were
  identified. They are

• Domestic violence (N14)
• Housing crisis (N24)
• Substance abuse (N18)
• Mental health problems (N6)
• Youth (N41)

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Being homeless

• One, the findings show that most people in the
  domestic violence and housing crisis groups
  resist homelessness and reject the idea of being
  homeless. They typically manage, through their
  day-to-day routines, the stigma of homelessness
  in such a way as to pass as normal. These
  homeless careers tend to be shorter (Average 8
  months)

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Being homeless continued...

• Two, the data show people whose pathway was
  mental health problems are frequently exploited
  in the early stages of their homeless careers.
  Most retreat to the margins of society to avoid
  this which increases their isolation and feelings
  of exclusion. These are the longest homeless
  careers (average 73 months)

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Being homeless continued...

• In contrast, most people who became homeless
  because of substance use, and many of those who
  became homeless before they were 18 years of age
  (youth), engage with the homeless subculture.
  Engaging with the homeless subculture commonly
  results in a range of cognitive and behavioural
  adaptations which typically lock them in the
  homeless population. Consequently, these tend to
  be longer homeless careers (average 50 months)
  (See Duration Slide)

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Select findings

• Overall, the longitudinal study found that two
  thirds of the people who reported substance abuse
  problems developed them after they became
  homeless. (See Substance Abuse)
• It also found three quarters of the people with
  mental health problems developed them after they
  became homeless, and for many this was also
  connected to drug use. (See Mental Illness
  Slide)

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Exiting homelessness

• 79 households were re-interviewed between 9
  -12 months later.

• Just under two thirds were housed (62 per cent)
  and 38 per cent were homeless.

TABLE 6 Housing status by pathway 12 months
after exiting transitional accommodation
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Getting out and staying out

• For dissenters and most people on the domestic
  violence and housing crisis pathways the
  provision of affordable and appropriate housing
  was sufficient to help them stay out.
• For many people on the youth (escapers) and
  substance use pathways the main exit strategy
  involves associational distancing that is
  steering clear of homeless friends and the
  homeless subculture
• The findings show this strategy commonly results
  in isolation and boredom, and this can lead to
  re-engagement with other homeless people and
  trigger further episodes of homelessness.

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Policy Implications

• The white paper, The Road Home, identifies three
  broad strategies
• Early intervention targeting high risk groups
  (see State Care and Protection)
• Improving existing services the role of the
  homelessness service system
• Breaking the cycle sustaining exits from
  homelessness

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Conclusion

• To explain how people get out and stay out of
  the homeless population you have to understand
  how people become homeless and how becoming
  homeless mediates responses to being homeless.

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Duration
Table 1 Selected findings, duration (N4,291)
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Substance abuse
Johnson, G. and C. Chamberlain (2008).
"Homelessness and Substance Abuse Which Comes
First?" Australian Social Work 61(4) 342-356.
I was more frightened in there than when I was on
the streets. I was trembling because there were
all these big dudes There was nothing I could
talk to them about apart from drugs. The only
thing we had in common was heroin (Palik).
We found, however, that 43 per cent of the sample
had substance abuse problems. TWO THIRDS
developed problems AFTER they became
homeless. Young people were far more likely to
develop substance abuse problems after they
became homeless than any other group.
RMIT University
Slide 14
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Johnson, G. and C. Chamberlain Are the homeless
mentally ill? Forthcoming.
Mental illness
31 per cent of the sample had mental health
problems. And just over half developed problems
AFTER they became homeless. Young people were
far more likely to develop mental health
problems after they became homeless than any
other group.
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State care and protection
Johnson, G. and C. Chamberlain (2008). "From
Youth to Adult Homelessness." Australian Journal
of Social issues 43(4) 563-582.
63
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