Homeless people of the United States Made by K.Skrypnik TPL

Homelessness in the United States increased significantly in the late 1970s and became an important political topic. The number of homeless people further grew in the 1980s. The United States government determined that somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000 Americans were then homeless. The number of homeless is reported to have risen since that time.

The three next primary causes are: mental illness or the lack of needed services substance abuse and lack of needed services low-paying jobs

The minor causes cited by the mayors are: Prisoner release Unemployment Domestic violence Poverty

According to the researches, approximately 25% of homeless people does not have a job and 60% has a job; moreover, 54% of homeless people gets some money which, however, is not enough. Not all people who are unemployed are looking for jobs, some homeless people, who do not want to work, think that getting money without working is the best way of living. Unemployment

According to The National Coalition for the Homeless, "50% of all homeless is a 'single' adult who has a drug or alcohol problem“. More than 85% of alcoholic homeless men had not been employed for at least 6 months. According to NCH, "many drug and alcohol abusers never become homeless, but people who are poor and addicted are clearly more tend to become homeless." Alcoholism

About one-third of the single adult homeless population suffers from some kind of severe and persistent mental illness. "Only 5-7% of homeless persons with mental illness needs to be institutionalized", so mental illness is not the major cause of homelessness. Mental diseases

Lastly, it should be mentioned that some people find themselves homeless due to unexpected extenuating circumstances: Natural disasters: In 2005 hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced over 1 million Americans. Tornadoes destroyed entire towns in Tennessee in Unexpected emergencies: A variety of people find themselves unable to cope with any number of the following sudden tragedies: being laid off from a long-term place of employment; losing their place of residence to an accidental fire; serious bodily injuries; loss of family member(s).

Key effective programs include: Shelter Plus Care - a federal program that provides housing subsidies. Housing First - a service paradigm that assumes that people who are homeless are "ready" to be housed immediately and with appropriate supports can retain their housing. Assertive Outreach - a form of engagement and outreach that emphasizes building a bond of trust between the case worker and the individual.