Nursing Perspective on Mental Health Issues Affecting Homeless Clients

This nursing assignment delves into the multifaceted issues surrounding homelessness and mental health. It explores the meaning of 'home,' personal perceptions of homelessness, and potential actions if one were to experience homelessness. The assignment identifies factors contributing to homelessness among the mentally ill, such as functional deficits, lack of mental healthcare, abuse, and substance abuse. It also examines community programs available for homeless clients, focusing on skill development and social status promotion. Furthermore, the assignment discusses the inadequacies of current mental health laws, barriers to care for homeless individuals (discrimination, lack of coordination, insurance challenges), and specific healthcare concerns like malnutrition and infectious diseases. This resource is available on Desklib, where students can find a wealth of study materials and solved assignments to aid in their academic pursuits.

Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

1NURSING
1.
a. Home is the place where members of the family live in harmony with each other in a safe
environment. I value family bonding the most about my home.
b. In case I did not have a home I would turn to a shelter home supported by the government that
aids homeless individuals.
c. In my perceptions, people who are homeless are to be supported to regain their lost values and
enable them to lead a healthy lifestyle. Those who are homeless are victims of poor social and
economic conditions in my opinion.
2.
a. The factors that contribute to homelessness in those who are mentally are disabling functional
deficits such as lack of problem-solving skills, disorganized thinking and depression. Other
factors include lack of an effective mental health care system, past experiences of physical abuse
and substance abuse (Stergiopoulos et al. 2015).
b. The community programs available for homeless clients in my area focus on development of
varied skills in the individuals are providing them with opportunities to promote their social
status. By guiding them and providing them financial support, they are helped to get back to
normal lifestyle.
3.
a. Current mental health laws are inadequate and do not provide the most therapeutic
environment for people with mental illness since the needs of the individuals are evolving at the
contemporary era. The mental healthcare workforce is acknowledging its shortage and therefore
incapability to address the increasing needs of the clients. In opposition it can be said that the
mental health laws that been considerate in including advanced technologies for mental health
care services.
b. The major barriers that prevent homeless individuals from receiving care are discrimination
and prejudice, lack of coordination among services and challenges in acquiring health insurance.
It is known that homeless mental health patients experience extensive discrimination and are not
integrated into the mainstream society. They are therefore deprived of safe and secure
environment within which they can receive services. Service providers at times are incapable of
coordinating services that can address the comprehensive needs of the client, thereby limiting
access to care. Lastly, regulatory requirements restrain clients from receiving services under a
systematic process (Priester et al. 2016).
c. Some specific healthcare concerns of homeless mentally ill individuals include malnutrition,
parasitic infestations, degenerative joint diseases, dental and periodontal disease, hepatic
cirrhosis, venereal diseases, alcoholism, and infectious hepatitis (Corrigan et al. 2015).

2NURSING
References
Corrigan, P., Pickett, S., Kraus, D., Burks, R. and Schmidt, A., 2015. Community-based
participatory research examining the health care needs of African Americans who are homeless
with mental illness. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 26(1), p.119.
Priester, M.A., Browne, T., Iachini, A., Clone, S., DeHart, D. and Seay, K.D., 2016. Treatment
access barriers and disparities among individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance
use disorders: an integrative literature review. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 61, pp.47-
59.
Stergiopoulos, V., Hwang, S.W., Gozdzik, A., Nisenbaum, R., Latimer, E., Rabouin, D., Adair,
C.E., Bourque, J., Connelly, J., Frankish, J. and Katz, L.Y., 2015. Effect of scattered-site housing
using rent supplements and intensive case management on housing stability among homeless
adults with mental illness: a randomized trial. Jama, 313(9), pp.905-915.