Mental Health Issues In Tulsa's Homeless Community

Tulsa has a growing population of homeless people living in shelters and on the streets. Many of Tulsa’s homeless population suffer from untreated mental health issues that prevent them from becoming self-sufficient members of society. Making mental health treatment available to the homeless is not only imperative to their rehabilitation but a needed foundation to be productive in society. As a result of untreated mental health issues, it has created additional barriers for homeless individuals to overcome, which further complicates their ability to be successful and productive citizens within the community. While there are available resources for homeless individuals, they are not being effectively utilized. Creating additional resources,

improving access and streamlining the available treatment will increase the chances of a successful rehabilitation into society.
Volunteering at the Tulsa Day was an eye opening experience that made it clear that our current homeless population, even in the Tulsa area, are in need of help if they are to become productive self-sustained members of society. According to the Tulsa Day Center’s “State of Homeless”, “8.3 percent of people have been labeled chronically homeless in the state” What qualifies someone to be considered chronically homeless (Tulsadaycenter.org), and the number of homeless individuals continues to grow. While volunteering at the Tulsa Day center I became seemingly aware of the vast amount of individuals with untreated mental health disorders which in turn became an obstacle and key issue they were dealing with as they tried to find housing. The homeless population has a serious obstacle to overcome in regard to untreated mental health issues that in many cases hold them back. “Seventy (68.6 %) of all homeless persons assessed presented with a current mental disorder, according to the SCID” (Salize). Helping them without dealing with the detrimental cause will only be a band-aid fix for the immediate issue of being homeless. In the long run, if these issues of mental health continue to go untreated, expecting them to sustain long-term housing and be productive within society, will only set them up for immediate or future failure.
The untreated mental health disorders witnessed at the Tulsa Day Center included active psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar disorder, substance abuse, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as, personality disorders.

These disorders were rampant among the clients that were seeking help at the Tulsa Day Center. Combined with the lack of personal space, good hygiene, wellness, stress and lack of natural supports these disorders put these clients at a higher risk for other diseases and health related problems. According to an article published by the Institute of Medicine, “Not only can homelessness be a consequence of mental illness, but a homeless life may cause and perpetuate emotional problems. ….. The major mental illnesses, principally schizophrenia and the affective disorders (bipolar and major depressive disorders), are unlikely to result from the trauma of homelessness. Rather, they cause a level of disability and impaired social functioning in some people that, in the absence of adequate treatment and support, may lead to homelessness, which will then exacerbate these conditions (Fischer and Breakey, 1986)” (Institute of Medicine). This article links an individual’s mental health to the state of being homeless and the snowball effect it has on the struggles in their

life.
Helping the homeless to obtain jobs and housing, but failing to deal with the mental health issues they have leaves nothing changed. Without treatment, they would be homeless again in a matter of time. It was clear that the untreated mental health issues would prevent them from obtaining jobs in a business environment. The symptoms that come with many of these mental health disorders would make it hard for these individuals to join the workforce and deal with a customer base. The untreated mental health issues that most of the homeless population deals with prevents them from rehabilitation, as it is the cause of their inability to function productively in society. Without proper treatment, they will continue to struggle to maintain everyday duties of a job, let alone the duties of maintaining a home such as housekeeping. Proper treatment would help the suffering of the untreated homeless population and would allow them to function within society in a productive manner. In order to solve the epidemic of homeless individuals, we must find a way for them to access proper health care so that they might return to feeling stable, hopeful, productive and safe within society.
There are many programs offered to the homeless community that help get medical treatment of mental conditions.

There is a program called “A Way Home for Tulsa,” “a collaboration of nearly two dozen agencies focused on ending long-term homelessness. One of its facets is an intensive case management method called “Pathways,” that includes mental health treatment when needed” (Simons). One new program that shows a lot of potential is the Mental Health Court. The Mental Health Court is available to offenders with mental health issues. As a condition of their probation, they must attend counseling and get medical treatment of their mental health disorder. The downside to the Mental Health Court Program is in order for consideration, the participant is facing criminal charges. Organizations such as the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma offers a referral line to free clinics and available resource. Many homeless in need are not receiving the help they so desperately needing to regain control of their lives and maintain a safe and gainful existence as part of

society.
According to the American Psychological Association “research has found that programs seeking to help mentally ill homeless people need these key ingredients: respect for these individuals, housing options they'd actually like to live in and help securing treatment” (Price). Treating them with dignity is another key factor in getting them to get help for themselves. The mental health needs of the homeless will require treatment with a new approach. Adopting a new policy that allows for treatment of their mental health without state issued identification would make treatment easier to obtain and access. If there were mental health professionals that came to them such as, a mobile clinic, more homeless could receive the care they needed. If shelter is a daily concern, it takes precedent over things such as going to an appointment across town. Streamlining the treatment process, making it more accessible, encouraging treatment and generating awareness of the need for mental health treatment as part of rehabilitation will all lead to a more successful aid of the homeless. The untreated mental health of the homeless presents not only a danger to the individual but society as well. Reducing the homeless population by equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in society starts with health care.
It is possible for the homeless individuals to regain control of their life and live a normal, productive life as a member of society. The homeless have a greater chance of becoming productive members of society and are less likely to become homeless again if their mental health is properly treated. Fang-pei Chen stated that “Research shows that with adequate support, homeless people with severe mental illness can remain in stable housing for a substantial duration” (Chen). Some have claimed that mental illness is the number one cause of homelessness. Understandably, many believe treating mental health is necessary to combat the homeless epidemic due to the sheer amount of untreated mental health disorders. The key to successfully helping the homeless overcome and move on is in their mental health care.
Many of Tulsa’s homeless population suffer from untreated mental health issues that prevent them from becoming productive members of our society, making treatment available to them is imperative to their rehabilitation into society. The widely ignored and highly stigmatized subject of mental health further fuels the vast number of untreated mental health disorders among our homeless populations, and in turn is at the root of multiple other problems that make rehabilitation an uphill battle. Resources that are in place to help the homeless with their mental health issues are not being accessed adequately. It has become necessary and essential to create additional resources in regard to addressing the mental health needs of our homeless population. Making it easier to get access to the resources already in place will definitely increase the successful rate of rehabilitation for homeless individuals. Helping this population to regain their place in society will give them back their dignity and peace of mind and help build a sense confidence and self-determination they so desperately want and deserve.