By: Gabby McIntyre
While mental health is not believed to be the main cause of homelessness, as the high cost of housing and living is believed to be the number one cause, it can be a contributing factor. (Preble Street) “In fact, mental or behavioral health disorders and substance abuse are many times outcomes of experiencing homelessness,” according to Preble Street. Being unhoused creates massive stress on an individual, and can lead to mental health conditions developing. This can make life unhoused more challenging and stressful, increasing the risk of developing additional conditions. Mental illness leaves people more susceptible to “poverty, disaffiliation, and personal vulnerability.” These factors can make it hard for an individual to hold a job and earn an income, reduce support from others, and cloud judgment when it comes to decision-making. (Homeless Hub) By protecting and helping individuals who are unhoused with their mental health needs, the homeless can be fully aided in their journey toward permanent residency. Though being unhoused can be difficult on one’s mental well-being, there are strategies that organizations and unhoused individuals can implement to aid in protecting homeless people’s mental health. (Preble Street)
For individuals who are homeless, the most important things to do to protect mental well-being are to prioritize themselves, connect with housing resources, and stay immersed in a community. Prioritizing themselves can be as simple as sleeping in a safer parking lot or establishing a routine to provide structure during hard times. Safety is key to protecting one’s mental health. Having measures to stay safe during a crisis and staying in a more secure area can help reduce anxiety. Additionally, connecting with housing programs or shelters can provide stability and help meet basic needs. (Talkspace) When the needs of an individual are met and self-care can be done, anxiety and depression can be reduced, meaning individuals are better equipped to tackle crises. (Mental Health First Aid) These programs not only help a person connect with resources but also help people stay engaged with community members. Oftentimes, people feel as if they must isolate themselves to avoid stigma and shame, as well as protect their peace, but isolation can cause anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness in individuals. (Talkspace) By creating a community, the individual creates a social safety net and a space where the unhoused can just be people without the threat of being stigmatized. Communities create a haven separate from the world where homeless people can just be people and feel normalcy, which is important to mental well-being. (ImmaCare INC.)
While a person’s mental health is often thought of as an individual hurdle to be overcome, there are a few things that organizations and governments can do to aid in the protection of the mental well-being of America’s unhoused populations. One main way these groups can help prioritize mental health in unhoused populations is by prioritizing “housing first” models. (Preble Street) Housing first models believe that to deal with substance abuse, lack of a job, and mental health issues, a person needs to have their necessities met, e.g housing, food, water. (National Alliance to End Homelessness) These models are key to protecting and helping the mental health of the unhoused population by providing a consistent living environment and stability so a person’s mental health can then be properly taken care of and addressed. (National Alliance to End Homelessness) These programs can also help people be in touch with “supportive services” that help lead to housing stability and make a person “more likely to participate in job training programs, attend school, discontinue substance use, have fewer instances of domestic violence, and spend fewer days hospitalized than those not participating.” (National Alliance to End Homelessness) The best way for most people to help aid in the protection of mental health in the unhoused is to vote for and support candidates that prioritize housing first and mental health, as it helps put programs that help the unhoused into action.
Sources:
Anwar, B. (2026, August 17). How to survive homelessness. Talkspace. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/how-to-survive-homelessness/
Homeless Hub. (n.d.). Mental health and homelessness. https://homelesshub.ca/collection/homelessness-101/mental-health/
ImmaCare, Inc. (2022, December 15). Experiencing homelessness and the importance of human connection.https://immacare.org/2022/12/15/importance-of-the-human-connection/
Mental Health First Aid USA. (2026, July 24). 6 steps to turn your self-care strategies into a routine.https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/how-and-why-to-practice-self-care/
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2009). Strategies of state mental health agencies to prevent and end homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/resources/research-and-analysis/strategies-of-state-mental-health-agencies-to-prevent-and-end-homelessness/
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2022, August). Housing First. https://endhomelessness.org/resources/toolkits-and-training-materials/housing-first/
Preble Street. (2024, May 28). Mental health and homelessness: Get to know the facts.https://www.preblestreet.org/2024/05/28/mental-health-and-homelessness-know-the-facts/