The cause and effect relationship between mental illness and homelessness is a growing problem on local and national levels. Local surveys demonstrate that approximately 30 percent of the 9,000-13,000 people who experience homelessness each year in our community also suffer from a serious mental illness. This means that between 2,200 and 4,400 of the homeless people in Indianapolis are mentally ill. The majority of these individuals also suffer from a drug or alcohol addiction.

There are several factors that put those with mental illness at high risk for becoming homeless:

• Most people with mental illness are unable to maintain employment or function effectively with daily tasks such as paying bills and maintaining supportive social relationships.
• Although many receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, these modest payments do not cover the costs for even a modest efficiency or one-bedroom apartment in any major housing market in the country (Ohara, A., Miller E. 2000), including Indianapolis.
• Fewer than 50 percent of local homeless adults with serious mental illnesses report they receive treatment (Blueprint to End Homelessness, 2002). The causes of this are usually due to a lack of documentation, a lack of transportation, and a difficulty adhering to treatment regimes, all of which are confounding effects of poverty and homelessness.
• Most individuals return to the same high-risk environment after incarceration or hospital discharges.

As a result, homeless people with mental illnesses most often fall into the “chronically homeless” category, which represents approximately 10 percent of the homeless population. This group of people experiences homelessness on a protracted basis, sometimes as long as 7 to 8 months during a two-year period. On any given night, 50 percent of those seeking emergency shelter are chronically homeless, suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.

People with mental illness or addiction often are not appropriate for care in congregate homeless shelters. Many have behavioral problems or medical needs that hinder their ability to live in large group settings. It is important to stabilize these individuals with appropriate housing and treatment services, both for their own well-being and to avoid costly and inappropriate use of taxpayer-funded emergency services.