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B. Prevention
The most important step in the plan, prevention will target the root causes of homelessness, providing resources for those who are at-risk for becoming homeless. Some of the prevention measures will include family counseling centers, shelters, and divorce support groups where families in transition can find financial, legal, and emotional help while receiving tips and assistance on keeping their houses. Funds and counseling for disaster survivors should be established, and treatment centers for the mentally ill should be put into place.
C. Outreach
This part of the plan will seek to benefit those who are already homeless. This will take volunteers to reach out to the homeless, find out what has brought them to this state, and offer them support, as well as temporary and long-term housing.
D. Shortening Homeless Time
Because many people are tossed into homelessness due to circumstances that cannot be foreseen, prevention of homelessness as a whole is most likely impossible. However, measures can be taken to insure that those who are temporarily displaced do not become members of the chronically homeless population. These efforts can include education, outreach, and making resources available to short-term homeless populations.
E. Links to Services
Because homelessness is often linked to other social problems, showing homeless people how to use social services, charities, and other organizations to improve their lives is an important part of this community plan.
Thus, based on the plan developed by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, this plan will address many issues in homelessness today.
IV. Challenges and Stumbling Blocks
Though the aforementioned community plan will help not only deal with the current homeless population, but will also help to eradicate homelessness in the future, challenges and stumbling blocks can still be anticipated. First, the plan...
Second, for many of the services that are proposed the help or at least permission of the government must be obtained, a difficult task. Third, taboos still exist regarding homeless populations and drug and alcohol use. Getting volunteers will mandate that we put an end to these stereotypes. Homelessness is not just a problem of shelter, but it is a complex social problem made up of different root causes and implications. Solving it will take time and effort, but will ultimately save lives and the quality of some lives.
References
Almanac of Policy Issues. (n.d.). "Homelessness." Retrieved April 11, 2009, from the Almanac of Policy Issues Web Site. Web Site:
http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_welfare/homeless.shtml.
Donohoe, M. (2004, July 7). Homelessness in the United States: History, Epidemiology,
Health Issues, Women, and Public Policy." Retrieved April 11, 2009, from Medscape Today. Web Site: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/481800.
April 11, 2009, from the Homeless Resource Network. Web Site: http://www.homelessresourcenetwork.org/causes.html
Homelessness." Retrieved April 11, 2009, from Endhomelessness.org. Web Site: http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1623
Shortage." Retrieved April 11, 2009, from Endhomelessness.org. Web Site: http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1658
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2007c). "Explainer: What is a Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness." Retrieved April 11, 2009, from Endhomelessness.org. Web Site: http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1786
et al. (2005) Facts on Trauma and Homeless Children. National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Homelessness and Extreme Poverty Working Group. Online available at http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/promising_practices/Facts_on_Trauma_and_Homeless_Children.pdf Burt, Aron, Douglas, et al., (1999) Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve: Summary Report - Findings of the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 1999 Burt, Martha, (2001) What Will it Take to End Homelessness? Washington, DC: The
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