Homelessness : Prevalence, Impact of Social Factors and Mental Health Challenges

This book contains diverse chapters examining homelessness from a myriad of perspectives, from global perspectives to clinical perspectives. An international group of authors consider clinical and theoretical factors in the lives of people that are homeless and the services and policies that affect their lives. The international chapters provide different perspectives regarding the culturally-embedded nature of our perceptions of homelessness including definitions of homelessness, mental illness, and the expectations of family and support systems. These chapters include information from Ireland, a number of Asian countries, South Africa, Spain, the Czech Republic, and North America. From within the United States, the book presents different models for understanding, developing, and disseminating interventions for people that are homeless, and have mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders. The book explores the needs of special populations such as racial and ethnic minorities as well as those who experience mild developmental delays as well as mental illness and homelessness. Two chapters explore attitudes towards people that are homeless and that may have behavioral health problems. Finally, the role of climate and the forces of nature are reviewed for unique perspectives on homelessness. These multidisciplinary perspectives on an important issue are both thought-provoking and educational.