Homeless Persons with Mental Illness and Their Families: Emerging Issues from Clinical Work

Abstract

The authors draw on their clinical work with homeless persons with mental illness to outline three family-related issues that seem common to many homeless persons with mental illness: (a) conflict or structural changes in the family that may increase individuals' risk of homelessness; (b) the emotional connection individuals have to their families, and the relationship between this connection and their homelessness; and (c) the ways in which individuals' relationships with their families influence their transition from homelessness to independent living. The authors explore these issues and give case examples. The authors recommend that clinicians and case managers in homeless outreach projects offer a family-focused clinical treatment approach, regardless of the current level of contact that clients have with their families. It is critical that staff understand the relationship between homeless persons with mental illness and their families in order to best assist these individuals in their transition from homelessness to “home.” Finally, the authors offer salient practice principles for homeless outreach projects that provide clinical and case-management services to this population, and explore the implications of these clinical findings for practice in other settings.