July 11, 2011
Introduction
I. When you think of a homeless person do you think of a drug addict or an alcoholic?
II. To inform my audience on homelessness and what brings a person to become homeless.
III. There are many different circumstances that causes a person to become homeless it isn’t always caused by drugs or alcohol.
Body
I. Who is homeless?
A. Families with children. 30%
B. Children under 18 years old 39%
C. Veterans 13%
D. Victims of domestic violence 15%
E. Mental Illness 26%
F. Addiction disorders 30%
II. Causes of homelessness.
A. Poverty, less job opportunities, economic downturn. 1. Up to 25% of homeless are employed. 2. “Homelessness is an extreme manifestation of poverty.” (Baumohl, 1996, p. 120).
B. Foreclosures
C. Cuts to federal housing assistance. (HUD)
1. Fewer housing units are available according to the National Coalition for the Homeless (2009), “about 200,000 rental housing units are destroyed annually” due to budget cuts.
D. Addictions, Alcohol, and drugs.
E. Mental Disorders
F. Domestic Violence
G. Health crises
III. The effects of homelessness on the individual
A. Shorter life span
1. Death rate is 4x higher among the homeless then the sheltered.
B. Poor health
1. Hypothermia
2. Malnutrition
3. Sleep deprivation
4. Skin disorders
C. Children and teens have emotional and developmental problems
1. Makes it almost impossible to learn at school
D. More jail time.
IV. Prevention/Solution
A. Better employment opportunities
1. Expansion of education and training programs
B. Increase the minimum wage
C. Provide more low income housing and funding.
1. "The problem of homelessness is rooted in the failure of this nation to address its low-income housing problems, particularly the gap between housing costs and income available to pay them" (Baumohl, 1996, p. 45).
Conclusion
I. I have explained to you how homelessness is caused and its effects.
II. There are many different circumstances that causes a person to become homeless it can be very difficult for a person to get out of this vicious cycle.
III. Now when you think of a homeless person do you categorize them as a drug addict or an alcoholic?
References
National Coalition for the Homeless (July, 2009). Why are people homeless. Retrieved from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/why.html
National Coalition for the Homeless (July, 2009). Who is Homeless. Retrieved from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html
Baumohl, J. (1996). Homelessness in America. Phoenix, AR. Oryx Press.
National Alliance to End Homelessness. Cost of Homelessness. Retrieved from
http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/about_homelessness/cost_of_homelessness
References: National Coalition for the Homeless (July, 2009). Why are people homeless. Retrieved from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/why.html National Coalition for the Homeless (July, 2009). Who is Homeless. Retrieved from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html Baumohl, J. (1996). Homelessness in America. Phoenix, AR. Oryx Press. National Alliance to End Homelessness. Cost of Homelessness. Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/about_homelessness/cost_of_homelessness
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