Healthcare in Poverty: Do they have access to the help they need?

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Healthcare in homelessness has been ongoing issue for many years. This is because it is such a discrepancy. People who are homeless have way higher rates of illness and on average they die about 12 years sooner than the general population. If you think about it just the fact alone of not having a home is a giant health hazard. There are so many people who are wanting to help people in need but there is no funding for that so we tend to rely on non-profits and volunteers. The healthcare industry is run by the worlds wealthiest companies who are all trying to make money so why should they help people who can't pay for anything? That is their though process which is a cruel but true thing to think about. Although these big corporations do not help their community there are many other things that many people might not be aware of. 


Mobile Clinics: 


Mobile clinics are a huge way that homeless people and people in need can have access to cheap or even free healthcare. They are a vital part of helping the community for under deserved populations. They are there to reach individuals and families who face challenges and barriers when it comes to receiving healthcare. These mobile clinics can have care services like preventative care, mental health services, substance abuse support, emergency care, and many more. These clinics have so many benefits that really help people out. In Los Angeles, California they have a "Homeless Initiative" which you might have heard about and this is where that photo came from. These are the clinics that are driving around and helping people in need. 


Street outreach programs:


Street outreach programs are designed for groups or individuals to go out and spread awareness directly to the people in need. They can even sometimes partner with mobile clinics to get more people to head to their location. These groups tend to be full of volunteers or non-profit organizations. The key features are that they are providing direct information to [ep[;e and it builds connections with them that they might not have already. 



Substance abuse services: 




Substance abuse is the leading cause of homelessness and mental illness. In the Portland area people ages 12 or older and who are addicted to drugs just hit 212,000 in the last 6 years. If you think about that statistic it is truly mind blowing. Since this is such an issue, there are so many substance abuse services that are out there. Some mobile clinics as mentioned before provide minimal addiction services but there are programs and resources designed specifically for this purpose alone. Many homeless people who are addicts tend to develop more and more health related problems over the years . These substances abuse treatment programs are designed to provide support, recovery resources, and a pathway to stability for people in desperate need. 


These three resources can all be utilized because they address different components of healthcare that are all necessary for the world we live in. They provide access to specific healthcare related problems that might typically occur within homelessness. 




Information on mobile clinics: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28789733/

Information on Substance abuse in homelessness: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless 

Information on Street outreach programs:  https://www.portland.gov/homelessnessimpactreduction/referrals


Written by Ren Schneider

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