Homeless Children Essay

Adolescent Homelessness: How Does This Affect Mental Illness
Studies have shown a significant relationship between adolescent homelessness and mental illness. It is important to know that being homeless does not necessarily mean that you are living on the street. Per NHCHC, which is the National Healthcare for Homeless Council, a person is considered homeless when they have no permanent housing situation, are living in a shelter or other public place, have unstable living conditions, or living in the street. (NHCHC) There are a countless number of children and adolescents without a permanent residence, and this is a real problem for America. These children are dealing with dozens of different types of mental disorders, and learning disabilities,

The most prominent reason children who are homeless cannot receive adequate healthcare is because of their finances. Homeless children most often do not have health insurance, and cannot afford to go see the doctor. Homeless children do not receive preventive shots that are required or recommended to help them stay health. Children who are homeless are nearly twice as likely to suffer from a chronic physical illness than children who are not homeless (The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 506, Human Rights around the World (Nov., 1989), pp. 141-151). Children’s mental and physical health can also be a direct reflection of their mothers. “Homeless mothers often had psychologically and economically impoverished childhoods, where they were abused as children and battered as adults. Low self-esteem and self-efficacy became translated, for many, into substance abuse, family violence, and other acute and chronic health problems. Given the limited support that children from homeless families receive outside the family, the emotional and physical health of the mother directly affects the health of the children.” (Wiley, David C., and Danny J. Ballard). Sometimes, the poor physical health children have is not a result of living on the street, rather a result of their mothers giving birth while being homeless. Mothers that give birth to their children while homeless, often are not receiving the adequate amount of treatment or observation that is recommended and are not taking any of their prenatal vitamins. This is already putting the child at risk for early mortality, chronic health problems, and other disabilities. The children who do survive, live in homeless shelters or on the streets, and that is not sanitary. The children who live in the streets may sleep in sewers, where there are rat droppings, and millions of different types of bacteria. They are forced to clean