Mental Health Services for the Homeless: Where Are They?

A major factor of homelessness that often goes ignored or overlooked is the mental health status of the homeless populations. Many solutions that are proposed to solve homelessness tend to gloss over mental health services as a provision to these vulnerable citizens. When looking at solutions being offered, such as overnight shelters or rehabilitation centers, there is not an aspect of mental health awareness or any type of offer for those services for those who may need them. Overnight shelters are not a safe space for homeless individuals, as they can be dangerous and anyone can utilize the shelters as a resource. Rehabilitation centers normally revolve around drug and alcohol addictions, and do not dig into deeper mental health issues that could be linked. I believe that mental health services should be a top priority when considering how to solve the homeless situation that is growing and affecting California.