The intersection between mental health and homelessness
Taking another walk down memory lane (oh the memories....) to 2014-15. I was really lucky to manage the data side of things for the statewide 'Home for Good' initiative. A process where we set out to interview Queensland's most vulnerable people and help each local community know them by name, to provide housing and social support solutions. Hearing some very important people in each community say 'but homelessness is a choice......' prompted me to a dig a little deeper into the data.
Around the state, there are still a small minority of stakeholders who genuinely believe that homelessness is a path chosen by the person either experiencing homelessness or who is at-risk of becoming homeless. At a superficial level it is easy to suggest that a string of poor decisions has ultimately lead to the deterioration of an individual’s or family’s housing situation. However, it could be argued straight off the bat that the ability to truly ‘choose’ a life trajectory is largely influenced by a range of factors including but not limited to government policy, social and physical environment, employment, education, personal capacities and last but not least, mental health.
Of those who took part in the state-wide Home for Good registry week campaign, 79.83 per cent of individuals and 73.43 per cent of families (any family member) had some form of reported mental illness or have utilised mental health services at some point in their life. Without even considering other factors that may influence ‘choice’ such as problematic use of drugs and alcohol, chronic health conditions, domestic violence and disability to name a few, 79.83 per cent of individuals and 73.42 per cent of families have some form of impaired decision making which affects their possible level of educational attainment, employability and ultimately their housing circumstances.
To give some context the severity of impairment ranges from maintaining attention and concentration, learning and developmental disability, in addition to brain injury or head trauma. The complexity of people surveyed should not be underestimated, 41.96 per cent of individuals and 42.9 per cent of families (any family member) who participated in registry weeks across Queensland reported that they had encountered either physical, emotional, sexual or psychological trauma or abuse that either resulted in their homelessness or that they have not sought help for.
The members of the Queensland community who participated in the registry weeks across the state did not choose to be abused or traumatised, have poor concentration, have brain injuries or head trauma, have learning or developmental disabilities or be hospitalised against their will for mental health issues.
Homelessness is not a choice.