Report: Strengthened substance abuse services needed to break homelessness cycles

Permanent supportive housing advocates peddle the long-disputed idea that homelessness is just that: lack of a home. If providing shelter is the one-and-done approach to abolishing homelessness, why are rates still soaring? The National Coalition for the Homeless, in a comprehensive write-up, highlights the strong link between substance abuse and homelessness. Housing alone is powerless to help unhoused folks, says the NCH, but addiction support services prove a valuable, necessary tool.

Although obtaining an accurate, recent count is difficult, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2003) estimates, 38% of homeless people were dependent on alcohol and 26% abused other drugs. Alcohol abuse is more common in older generations, while drug abuse is more common in homeless youth and young adults (Didenko and Pankratz, 2007). Substance abuse is much more common among homeless people than in the general population.... According to Didenko and Pankratz (2007), two-thirds of homeless people report that drugs and/or alcohol were a major reason for their becoming homeless.

In many situations, however, substance abuse is a result of homelessness rather than a cause. People who are homeless often turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their situations. They use substances in an attempt to attain temporary relief from their problems. In reality, however, substance dependence only exacerbates their problems and decreases their ability to achieve employment stability and get off the streets. Additionally, some people may view drug and alcohol use as necessary to be accepted among the homeless community (Didenko and Pankratz, 2007).

Breaking an addiction is difficult for anyone, especially for substance abusers who are homeless. To
begin with, motivation to stop using substances may be poor. For many homeless people, survival is more important than personal growth and development, and finding food and shelter take a higher priority than drug counseling. Many homeless people have also become estranged from their families and friends. Without a social support network, recovering from a substance addiction is very difficult. Even if they do break their addictions, homeless people may have difficulty remaining sober while living on the streets where substances are so widely used (Fisher and Roget, 2009)....

According to the United States Conference of Mayors (2008), additional substance abuse services were reported by 28% of cities surveyed as one of the top three items needed to combat homelessness. Many Americans with substance abuse dependencies, both housed and homeless, do not receive the treatment they need. In fact, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) estimated that in 2005, over 19.3 million people needed, but did not receive, addiction treatment services. The largest factors that prevented people from being treated were the high costs and lack of insurance (NASADAD). Since many homeless people do not have health insurance, substance abuse treatment may be unattainable....

Since substance abuse is both a cause and a result of homelessness, both issues need to be addressed simultaneously. According to Didenko and Pankratz (2007), stable housing during and after treatment decreases the risk of relapse.

This report was originally published by the National Coalition for the Homeless. Read the whole thing here.

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