Helping Homeless Women with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders Recover - Research Paper Example

? Helping homeless women with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders recover al affiliation Helping homeless women with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders recover First Steps Transitional Housing Program Scenario Agency Name First Steps Transitional Housing Program Vision Statement At First Steps Transitional Housing Program, our vision is to be a haven for homeless women with substance addiction issues and ill mental health. In five years time, our agency will have impacted on the lives of homeless women, by helping them recover and live normal lives. We envision a scenario where our clients move away from addictions and homeless into recovery and productivity, making up a bright future. Mission Statement Our mission is to provide correctional services to homeless women who are involved in substance abuse and help them recover from their addictions. We hope to stop the marginalization of women with ill mental health and substance abuse disorders, by giving them back their dignity. We believe in human dignity and respect, therefore we offer unparalleled financial and psychological help to the homeless women. This program looks to reinstate homeless women back into the society, where they can become productive members free from substance abuse. Target Population Our agency targets homeless women who have problems with mental health (MH) and substance abuse (SA). We also have a unit dubbed the “Center for Women and Families” where we accommodate homeless families. At the agency, we also cater for women with mental disorders and substance abuse issues, particularly those who cannot retain sobriety. Service Areas Our main area of focus is on homeless women who have problems to do with ill mental health and substance abuse, within central Florida. These women reside within our coalition facility until they can get longer-term shelters. In addition, our “Center for Women and Families” unit also addresses the needs of children within the coalition. The children’s service is linked to areas within Florida, such as the Orange County Public. Services Provided Residential facilities Specialized treatment through coalitions with several treatment programs Community service Educational opportunities A 24-hour hotline service Job placements Agency Staff 7 board members 10 Case managers 1 clinical administrator 8 clinicians 4 supervisors Several volunteers Focused Population The First Steps Transitional Housing Program is a special treatment program which offers services to homeless and high-risk women. More specifically, First Steps cares for homeless females who have co-occurring substance abuse issues, coupled with mental disorders. As they wait for a vacant bed at the coalition, these women are placed under temporary housing, with workers to treat them. During their stay at the coalition, the women attend long-term treatment programs during the day and group meetings at night and on weekends. Some of these community support and group meetings include Alcoholics/Narcotics/Cocaine Anonymous, and Women’s Empowerment Group. The length of stay at the First Steps program ranges from 30-90 days, after which clients can be enrolled in longer-term programs. Unique Vulnerabilities Presently, the number of women with MH, SA and homelessness issues is on the rise at the in Florida. However, there are inadequate funds to cater for the needs of all these women at the agency. Since we are a non-profit organization, we rely on the state and other charitable organizations for funding. With the current economic situation in the country, these funds have been shrinking and we are forced to cut-down on our cost and intake of deserving clients. In most scenarios, women with MH and SA issues tend to get admission faster than those with SA only. This does not mean that the latter are less worthy of the services offered rather; the former are more at risk and require more urgent care. Therefore, faced with a situation where the agency has to choose between a homeless woman with, MH, and SA problems and one who only has SA, the agency would prefer to attend to the former. Areas of Strength Our strength lies in the confidence that the general public has in us. We rank among the best programs in Florida for assisting women get their lives back on track after recovering from substance abuse. Most of our former clients lead a “clean” life after leaving the program, with a very small percentage reporting cases of relapse. Rationale for Services The clientele we serve are in dire need of our services, if they are to become productive members in the society. These homeless women with co-occurring disorders have no one else to turn to for help. Some of these women have children who end up being thugs on the streets because their mothers cannot provide for them. The society views these women as social outcasts and shuns them from societal activities. At First Steps, we treat these women and help them overcome any psychological issues that may have caused them to reach the state they are in. By providing no-nonsense information, treatment, residence, and group support, we restore dignity back into the lives of these women. Executive Summary First Steps Transitional Housing Program Overview- Analysis of the Problem in Focus Homeless women with MH and SA disorders Unable to fit into the mainstream society Unable to get resources, opportunities, and resources to improve quality of life Target Population and Profile All women facing homeless, substance addiction, and ill mental health Specialized Populations: Single women Single mothers Goals To restore the dignity of homeless women with MH and SA problems To help these women recover from their addictions To help these women get opportunities to improve their quality of life To reintegrate these women back into the society Anticipated Obstacles Insufficient funds to meet the operational costs An increase in the number of women seeking help Stigma and discrimination of homeless women with co-occurring disorders within the community The right of the patient to refuse treatment Required Resources Operational funds Caring and qualified staff Community support groups Website for easier access to our services Ethical Issues Coercive treatment Privacy and confidentiality Undisciplined patients/clients Anticipated Outcomes Homeless women with MH and SA problems in Florida will get a better quality of life The number of women with addiction problems will significantly reduce within Florida There will be more familial and societal cohesion, when these women are accepted as part of the community Approach to problem solving Solution driven Problem focused Analytical skills Qualitative and quantitative survey Helping homeless women with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders recover Identification and Analysis of the Problem In the American society, homelessness ranks among the most pressing social problems today. Homeless people, according to Straussner & Brown (2002) suffer from a range of associated health problems including Mental Health (MH) and Substance Abuse (SA). In recent years, the number of women with homelessness, MH and SA issues has dramatically increased to match that of men. Among the states worst hit by this problem is Florida. Therefore, the issue of concern in this agency is the difficulties faced by homeless women, with MH and SA problems within the state of Florida. These women lead a very poor quality of life characterized by addictions, poor health, lack of finances and resources, and rejection by family and society. According to Finkelstein (2009) statistics show that women aged below 40 years are more at risk of being homeless than older women. Studies have also revealed that homeless women are more likely to suffer mental illness and substance abuse issues. The identified women live very low-quality lives due to lack of employment, empowerment, and resources. These women often have no family, friends or well-wishers to help them. Consequently, such women are more discriminated by society when they go asking for food and shelter. In addition, there are no employers who are willing to employ a homeless woman, with obvious addiction problems. In the end these homeless women with co-occurring disorders indulge more in substance use in order to forget their woes, which ultimately leads to mental illnesses. This is where First Steps Transitional Housing Program comes in. the agency takes these rejected women under their care and transforms them into productive citizens. How does it affect the general society? Just like any other social problem, homelessness coupled with substance abuse and ill mental health among women affects the general society. The most immediate effect that homeless women with co-occurring issues have on the society is family breakups. There are increasing cases of single mothers who are falling in the category of homelessness and substance abuse (Wright & Donley, 2011). When this happens, the children are forced to be separated from their mothers and the society is forced to cater for these children. In most cases, these children are placed in foster care, since their mothers cannot take care of them. This becomes a burden for the society being forced to pay taxes to support such children. Wright & Donley (2011) give the example of Tonya, a 26 year old single mother of six children. Cocaine addicted and depressed, Tonya is unemployed and cannot locate any of the four men who fathered her children. Accordingly, she cannot provide for her six children, a situation that has led to the state taking her children to foster care. Societal values are also eroded by the effects of homelessness and substance abuse among women. Cases of theft and prostitution are on the increase, since these are the only modes of survival known to these women. With prostitution and drug use on the rise, issues such as increased transmission of HIV arise. Background information on the problem Homelessness, MH and SA among women in Florida can primarily be attributed to unemployment and low incomes for women and the general population. Housing within Florida has become very expensive and women with low income cannot afford to overspend on housing. As a result, many people end up homeless and on the streets since they cannot afford to pay rent (Wright & Donley, 2011). The most affected of these are single mothers who are also expected to provide for their children. The other major cause of homelessness, MH and SA among women is increased domestic violence. According to Jasinski, Wesley & Wright (2010) “Domestic Violence and Homelessness” carried out a research in 2008 and found out that the major cause of homelessness, MH, and SA among women is domestic violence. Most women are in abusive relationships, where their intimate partners abuse them psychologically or physically. Most of these women end up fleeing these relationships and end up homeless and depressed. In order to forget their troubles, these women turn to drugs and with time become addicted. The same cycle goes for women who live with abusive relatives. Since there are very few or complete lack of safe houses for abused women, a majority end up on the streets. The justice system is of no help as it does very little to help these women get justice for their tribulations. What can be done to improve the situation? Evidently, the situation presented by homeless women with addictions and ill mental health needs to be addressed with utmost gravity. In as much as the women need to find ways to improve their lives, it is the responsibility of the state as well, to ensure that its residents have adequate housing. Statistics show that most women within Florida, especially single mothers cannot afford to pay rent (Jasinski, Wesley, & Wright, 2010). If the government could lower the price of housing in Florida, then the number of homeless women would reduce significantly. This will translate to less women turning to drugs and less cases of ill mental health among women. Similarly, the criminal justice system needs take more seriously, cases of domestic violence. Reports show that the authorities have been very lax in taking any steps to punish people who have been accused of violence (Finkelstein, 2009). As a result, many women continue to suffer violence from partners and relatives, with a majority opting to leave and become homeless. The society also needs to address the needs of homeless women with co-occurring issues. Instead of judging these women, discriminating against them, and exposing them to stigmatization, the society should be more involved in helping them recover. The society should be more willing to, in collaboration with the federal state, build more shelters where these women can find accommodation. In addition to providing shelter, the society should also be more willing to give these women a second chance once they have undergone treatment. In most cases, victimization and discrimination makes these women relapse, thus undermining the progress made so far. Who is set to benefit from the program? The First Steps Transitional Housing Program for homeless women with co-occurring issues is set to benefit the society at large. Nonetheless, the primary beneficiaries are the identified women, since they have new opportunities to regain their self-worth and dignity, and become productive members within the community. The life-skills that these women acquire during their stay at the facility help them lead a better life. For women who are single mothers, their children also benefit from the services offered at the facility. In as much as the children get their mother back, these children also get educational opportunities, as well as better quality of life at the facility. There are more chances for these children to have better lives in future, as opposed to the lives they have at present. By ridding the society of the homeless, mentally ill and substance addicted women, life becomes a lot safer. Parents feel more at ease bringing up their children in a society where such people are somehow separated from mainstream society and are getting help. This brings down the level of societal evils, such as drug abuse, theft, and prostitution. Particular Target The First Steps program primarily deals with the increasing number of women within Florida who have no shelter and are addicted to substance use, which mostly leads to mental disorders. This is a program which caters for both single females and those with dependants. Since this is a population that has been rejected by the society, giving them a new sense of self-worth and purpose is essential in attaining the desired results. The education provided, life skills, job-placements, group support, and treatment all work for the benefit of the homeless women with co-occurring problems. An Overview of the Service Structure and Organization When looking at the service structure, one should pay special attention to the location of the facility, the setting, the facilities available, services offered, and organization team (Straussner & Brown, 2002). The First Steps Transitional Housing Program is located in Central Florida in order to give all deserving women from all around the state to a chance to gain access to the facility. The facility -although set close to areas most notorious for substance use- is relatively serene, and offers cool atmosphere for our clients. There are temporary housing units, in which clients stay and are taken care of as they wait for a bed at the longer-term housing units. The services offered include extensive treatment, computer training, life skills, and support groups. According to Finkelstein (2009) it is very important for a program catering for the homeless women with co-occurring issues to have a clear organizational structure of its team members. At First Steps Transitional Housing Program the team is comprised of an Executive Director, several Board Members, a clinical administrator, clinicians, several case managers, social workers and members of the support staff. Intervention Strategies Intervention strategies take different forms and are classified accordingly. Homelessness and addiction to substance use can be of varying degrees. According to Finkelstein (2009) homelessness can either be temporary or permanent. Similarly, ill mental health and substance use could be short-term or long-term. For women who are homeless for a temporary period of time and whose mental illness and substance use is short-term, they do not require to stay for long at the facility. Women in this group are the ones who have recently experienced homelessness due to a factor, such as sudden loss of job. This group is easier to manage and sometimes, having them stay at the temporary housing unit for 30 days is enough for them. Before they become totally addicted, they get counseling, treatment and group support, as well as job placements and within no time, their lives are back on track. The other proportion is represented by women who are permanently homeless, with serious mental illnesses, and substance addiction. This category of patients need to stay ate the facility for a period of up to 90 days, while undergoing intensive treatment. These women are assigned case managers who help the women plan their stay and decide how best to go on with the program. During their stay at the facility, these women get counseling, medical treatment, education, and are engaged in community service. Anticipated Obstacles In our line of duty, there are a lot of obstacles. One major obstacle is the right of the client to refuse treatment. Sometimes, drug addicts fear that being in housing programs will mean loss of independence. Consequently, these women are more likely to refuse treatment since they are adults who do not want to be under someone’s control. Unfortunately, the law prohibits all forms of treatment against the patient’s will (Finkelstein, 2009). As a result, many women who could otherwise get help and recover, continue to stay on the streets and face co-occurring disorders. Since ours is a non-profit organization, the problem of insufficient funds is a constant factor. As an agency, we mostly depend on the government for grants. Other sources of funding include well-wishers and fundraisers. However, the current economic situation in the U.S makes us worry over the availability of funds from the state and well-wishers. Ethical Issues According to Ruiz & Strain (2011) one of the most pertinent ethical issues in treating homeless women with co-occurring disorders is coercive treatment. Sometimes, these women may refuse treatment while at the facility, thus forcing the clinicians to use some sort of force. However, the amount of force used should be considerate so as not to infringe on the rights of the patient. During counseling and treatment, the questioning process often becomes hard if the patient feels that their privacy is being violated. This investigative phase may require the patient to give information about their past. Most patients have traumatic past experiences and may find it difficult to share such information. As a result, the clinicians and counselors are faced with an ethical dilemma on how to handle such patients. In addition, Ruiz & Strain (2011) state that an ethical issue may occur if a patient chooses to follow a different form of treatment, other than the one prescribed at the agency. For example, the patients may be required to undertake a 12-step mandatory curriculum, yet some would want to skip some of the stages. Sometimes the staff members are forced to discontinue offering services to undisciplined patients. This raises serious ethical issues over the mode of treatment and whether patient opinion is put into consideration by the staff members. References Finkelstein, N. (2009). Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the Specific Needs of Women. Washington: DIANE Publishing. Jasinski, J., Wesley, J., & Wright, J. 2010. Hard Lives, Mean Streets: Violence in the Lives of Homeless Women. New Hampshire: UPNE. Ruiz, P., & Strain. E. (2011). Lowinson and Ruiz’s Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Straussner, S., & Brown, S. (2002). The Handbook of Addiction Treatment for Women: Theory and Practice. California: John Wiley & Sons. Wright, J., & Donley, A. (2011). Poor and Homeless In the Sunshine State: Down And Out in the Theme Park Nation. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Read More