Homelessness is the lack of the basic need of shelter. In America, there are many people who are homeless from all around the states. However, some states have higher levels of homelessness than others. Homelessness is caused by a variety of reasons such as increased rent, low income, and engagement in drugs. Homelessness is a problem that strongly prevails in America and requires different stakeholders to come in between to help solve the issue.
Background
Homelessness is a crucial yet extremely difficult issue to take care of and understand (O’Donnell, 2020). Homelessness can occur for a single night, consecutive nights, or as episodes. Collecting information on homelessness can be done through information from homelessness service providers, from the victims, or from direct observation. In all cities whether large or small, there is a persistent issue of homelessness. It creates the need for the government and other human service organizations to come up with strategies to help the homeless.
Homelessness victims only report the frequency and reason behind their homeless situation. The impact and nature of homelessness on the individuals is neglected. People deal with homelessness differently hence making it difficult to measure the actual size of homeless people. The people involved in statistics are mostly those who are completely unable of saving themselves from the situation. However, there are victims who find solutions such as doubling with relatives or friends and couch surfing (Willse, 2015). Homelessness data is hence difficult to acquire correct facts even as more studies are carried out.
Problems and Needs Analysis
Homelessness in America is a problem that faces many citizens. The scope of victims varies widely from poor families to rich, or apparently rich families, students to people who lose their jobs, among others. Impoverished societies often have a larger percentage of homelessness victims compared to rich societies. However, it does not place the rich societies safe from the homelessness problem. The impoverished societies suffer homelessness due to reasons such as inability to pay rent or lack of security in case money meant for housing is misplaced or used elsewhere. The rich in the society also suffer the risk of homelessness once they lose their jobs or when rentals become too expensive to afford (Samhsa.gov, Nd). All classes of homeless people lie in the same category although they deal with their problem differently. Without external help, it is difficult for the poor people to recover from homelessness. The government and other organization should come in and draw them out of the homelessness pit to shelter.
Human Services Planning
Human Service Planning methods to cater for homelessness are laid down by the government or organizations to stand in between the homeless people and shelter (Gao, Nd). They try to bridge the gap. The methods include building permanent houses for the homeless. Some members of the homeless population receive their own permanent houses. Some receive funding for emergency shelters or engage in transitional housing. In America, there is the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department which investigates homelessness. It helps prevent and curb homelessness among the citizens (HHS.gov, Nd). HUD collects data on homeless people and plans how to take care of them by laying down the best course of action for everyone. HUD data might not be accurate and might be under-estimating the homeless population.
Ethical issues
Homeless people lack the basic need of shelter. Shelter is a crucial need for each person to survive. Once it is deprived, other basic needs such as food becomes difficult to attain (Fransham & Dorling, 2018). It is only ethical to help the victims by building them new shelters or providing them with emergency housing. Homelessness revolves around members of all societies and criteria. It is therefore necessary that the organizations that are responsible for serving the homeless are not bias based on any criteria. Equality is necessary for the help to be effective and appreciated. It will also promote a higher turn up of homeless people for help.
Homelessness is a misfortune that does not happen according to a person’s decision. It is necessary that once the homeless are assisted to acquire a shelter, they are given the support they need to get out of the situation. For example, once a student is offered a home, it is ethical that the same people who helped them give them the support they need to go back to school. The organization should not expect anything in return unless it is a donation. In case the victim’s homelessness was caused by issues such as drugs and substance abuse, mental disorder, domestic violence, divorce, death of partner among others. The organization should make sure that they include services that help them recover from their situation condition.
Conclusion
Homelessness in America is an issue that affects many citizens. Homeless can be because of high rent, loss of employment, death of partner, mental disorder, among others. Victims should be offered help to draw them out of the situation and help them lead a normal life.
