The problem of homelessness appears to be one of many complexities that are involved in this situation, including mental illness. People facing homelessness are sometimes faced with major challenges on the path to getting mental health services, and as a result, the symptoms become worse and take a longer time to heal. As part of our profession, we need to ensure that we know the interventions that will target those people’s distinct requirements. The paper aims to explore interventions for addressing mental illness among homeless individuals and formulate a researchable Evidence-Informed Practice (EIP) question to guide intervention strategies.
Background
John, a 45-year-old man dwelling in an urban community, is chronically homeless and has a combination of major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from a traumatic childhood and military history. To tackle these mental health struggles, he turns to the world of substance abuse and a lack of social support. The mental insecurity of John intensifies his homelessness and gets in the way of his reaching quality healthcare. This intricate interplay indicates why multi-factorial interventions addressing his mental health needs while also providing a comprehensive solution to homelessness are essential.
Current intervention strategies
Multiple strategies have proven effective in dealing with the mental health problems of people in the homeless population. Housing First is one of the successful options, which treats the provision of housing as the basis while not making sobriety or treatment compliance as prerequisites (Loubière et al., 2022). Housing First has proven its effectiveness in increasing housing stability, mental health results, and overall well-being for homeless people with mental illness.
Comprehensive care models, as mentioned by Carvalho and Furtado (2022), bring together mental health services, primary care, substance abuse treatment, and case management to respond to the multifaceted needs of individuals who are homeless and have mental issues. These services, when integrated, provide holistic support that takes into account all physical, mental, and social aspects of wellbeing. Striving for a holistic approach, this strategy not only removes barriers to accessing care but also facilitates mutual cooperation among all service providers, as a result of which care interventions can be delivered in a more coordinated and customized way for this high-need population group.
The peer support programs, in which individuals who have had mental illness or homelessness provide support and empower others, are one of the most critical groups. They provide a safe environment where peers can trade experiences and help each other emotionally, just to mention a few. Being connected to others who have also confronted similar struggles, participants experience a sense of belonging and validation that may help guide them in the process of their recovery (Miler et al., 2020). Peer support, however, does more than that because it works to combat stigma and bias; thus, it increases engagement with mental health facilities and the recovery process and improves the overall welfare of the people.
Researchable EIP Question
Based on John’s situation and the interventions discussed, the formulated EIP question is: “What are the results of the Housing First approach compared to combined care models in the reduction of mental health issues and a decrease in homelessness prevalence among homeless individuals with co-existing mental illness and drug addiction.?”
Rationale
The question is crucial as it focuses on the approach that is considered more effective between two dominant models of intervention, Housing First and integrated care, both designed for people who are homeless with a combination of complex needs like John has. By discerning which method actually delivers better health results as well as home stability, social workers can formulate judicial decisions concerning intervention selection; thus, interventions are not only evidence-based but also tailor-made. As a result, this type of empathy will empower the social workers to advocate for and design interventions that will work for these homeless people who have co-occurring mental illness and addictive behavior, including John.
Anticipated Practice Implications
The solution to the question may give useful suggestions about how social workers can work with customers similar to John. If Housing First seems to be more beneficial in terms of improving mental health outcomes and housing stability, practitioners can lobby for policies and funding to consider housing interventions as a vital part of mental health support for the homeless. On the other hand, if the present model of integrated care proves to be more effective, practitioners will be compelled to advocate with existing homeless facility systems to provide mental health services, ensuring comprehensive care for patients with co-occurring disorders.
Conclusion
Intervention to combat mental illness amongst the homeless employs a multi-layered approach that takes into account the complex linkage between housing instability, psychiatric disorders, and drug addiction. Through developing a researchable EIP question about using evidence-based interventions like “Housing First” and “integrated care models,” social workers will be able to foster their ability to advocate for policies and methods of care that are effective and offer support for homeless individuals with mental disturbances. Evidence-based social work practice helps social workers achieve important goals, namely, improving people’s well-being and enabling the recovery of those in need.
References
Carvalho, A. P., & Furtado, J. P. (2022). Contextual factors and implementing the Housing First intervention: a literature review. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 27(1), 133–151. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232022271.19642021
Loubière, S., Lemoine, C., Boucekine, M., Boyer, L., Girard, V., Tinland, A., & Auquier, P. (2022). Housing First for homeless people with severe mental illness: extended 4-year follow-up and analysis of recovery and housing stability from the randomized Un Chez Soi d’Abord trial. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 31(8). https://doi.org/10.1017/s2045796022000026
Miler, J. A., Carver, H., Foster, R., & Parkes, T. (2020). Provision of peer support at the intersection of homelessness and problem substance use services: a systematic “state of the art” review. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8407-4
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