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Homelessness

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Metro Homelessness Definition of Homelessness Who is Homeless Slide 4 What Causes Homelessness Causes of Homelessness Slide 7 What Can Be Done Contribute Advocate ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Homelessness


1
Homelessness
  • Kelly Bennett, MD
  • Medical Director
  • TTUHSC Free Clinic

2
Definition of Homelessness
  • Per federal government
  • people who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate
    night time residence
  • A true residence cannot be administered in a
    group setting by a government agency or charity

3
Who is Homeless
  • Children lt 18 are 40 majority under age 40
  • African Americans 40
  • Caucasians 38
  • Hispanics 20
  • 40 of men are veterans
  • 1/3 have severe addictive disorders
  • 16 have severe mental health disorders
  • 1 of population will be homeless at some point
    during each year (3,000,000)
  • On any given day between 400,000 and 800,000 are
    homeless

4
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5
What Causes Homelessness
  • Poverty 12.5 of the US population is living in
    poverty (37,000,000)
  • Poverty not enough money to pay for shelter,
    food, clothing, utilities, health care, etc.
    These people have to pick and choose what they
    can pay for.
  • Poverty increasing due to
  • Increasing unemployment
  • Decreasing wages
  • Decreasing Public Assistance

6
Causes of Homelessness
  • Foreclosures are up 33 in last two years due to
    mortgage crisis
  • Lack of affordable low income housing as
    unemployment rises and low income wages fall the
    rents have increased
  • Mental health problems/Addiction problems these
    people cannot sustain employment
  • Domestic violence breaking up families
  • Lack of coordinated health care system

7
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8
What Can Be Done
  • Think
  • C contribute
  • A advocate
  • R reach out (volunteer)
  • E educate

9
Contribute
  • Things that can be contributed
  • Clothes
  • Food
  • House hold goods
  • Computers
  • Cell phones
  • Cash donations to charity groups

10
Advocate
  • Join a coalition
  • Example can become friends with salvation army
    on face book to be aware what help is needed
  • Follow local politics
  • Local city council has homeless committee with
    meetings open to the public
  • Involve the Media

11
Reach Out
  • Volunteer at a shelter (Salvation Army in
    Lubbock)
  • Help build shelters/houses (Habitat for Humanity
    in Lubbock)
  • Volunteer professional services legal aid,
    dentistry, medical care, counseling, child care,
    construction

12
Educate
  • Educate yourself and others
  • http//www.nationalhomeless.org
  • http//www.endhomelessnes.org
  • Participate in 24 hour fast
  • Participate in a sleep out

13
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14
Medical Needs of Homeless
  • Primary Care
  • Urgent/Emergency Care
  • Mental Health/Counseling
  • Dental Care
  • Substance Abuse Treatment
  • Of these the only easy care obtainable is a
    trip to the ER

15
What is the Problem
  • Primary Care/Urgent Care/ Non Crisis Mental
    Health
  • Cost of visits not enough low cost clinics
    funding still an issue most are open during the
    day when people are supposed to be working,
    looking for work, etc.
  • Medicaid currently for pregnant women, minors,
    elderly poor plan in future to extend who is
    eligible GOOD LUCK with states cutting benefits
  • Local indigent funding example Lubbock LCI
    difficulty with process, proving you are poor

16
Problems continued
  • Counseling
  • Veterans can receive counseling at local VA
    resources
  • Covenant counseling in Downtown works on sliding
    scale
  • Mental Health Taskforce meets in Lubbock at the
    LPL building every two months to coordinate
    local efforts

17
Problems continued
  • Dentistry
  • MUCH larger problem than people are aware of
  • Why? Dental insurance not often offered by
    employers extensive dental work very expensive
  • CHCL resources overwhelmed
  • Twice in last year dentists have staged a large
    clinic for the underserved Civic Center last
    year this weekend at Abbeyville Dentistry
  • At Free Clinic we have dental clinic once a month

18
Problems continued
  • Substance Abuse Treatment
  • VERY expensive time intensive process
  • Even people with the BEST resources (money and
    insurance) often have difficulty finding
    treatment
  • Managed Care in Lubbock has indigent beds but
    that is sporadic
  • Dove Tree also has some indigent beds

19
Local Lubbock Efforts
  • Lubbock census in 2009 had approximately 700
    homeless
  • 2010 count more difficult due to one temporary
    shelter (Carpenters church) having shut down
    causing more dispersal of homeless
  • Count was last week awaiting official numbers
  • In 2010 due to increased number of people needing
    shelter City Council called for committee
  • Down town businesses and local public library
    want homeless situation examined

20
Lubbock Council on Homeless
  • Last week went to Amarillo to examine their
    procedures
  • Mini mall with stores that are different
    charitable organizations, day care, etc.
  • Examining another process in San Antonio
  • Supposed to have recommendations for city council
    by this fall

21
What can you do
  • Volunteer at local agencies
  • www.lubbockhospitality.com has list of local
    charitable agencies
  • Dial 211 to locate agencies to help people in
    need
  • Purchase local Red Book with information listed
    for local organizations
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