The open door : homelessness and severe mental illness in the era of community treatment

The Open Door provides a comprehensive, carefully documented ""state of the science"" on homelessness and mental illness. The book reviews the effectiveness of service and housing interventions targeted at this constituency, and discusses efforts to bring evidence-based programs to scale. Abstract: The Open Door provides a comprehensive, carefully documented ""state of the science"" on homelessness and mental illness. The book reviews the effectiveness of service and housing interventions targeted at this constituency, and discusses efforts to bring evidence-based programs to scale The Open Door: Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness in the Era of Community Treatment explains how and why homelessness among the mentally ill has persisted over the past 35 years, despite policy and program initiatives to end it. This ten-chapter book chronicles the unintended rise of homelessness in the wake of far-reaching post-World War II mental health care reforms, and highlights the key role of advocacy in spurring a governmental response to homelessness. The author provides a comprehensive, carefully documented "state of the science" on homelessness, reviews critical issues in managing severe mental illness in the community setting, and presents evidence of the effectiveness of service and housing interventions that have brought stability to the lives of many. Finally, the book reviews the role of homelessness prevention, a recovery orientation, and the promise of early treatment of psychotic disorders to facilitate greater social inclusion and community participation. In addition to providers of housing and services to the homeless mentally ill, this text will appeal to policymakers, mental health professionals, and students of public health and social sciences. "Explains how and why homelessness among the mentally ill has persisted over the past 35 years, despite policy and program initiatives to end it. This ten-chapter book chronicles the unintended rise of homelessness in the wake of far-reaching post-World War II mental health care reforms, and highlights the key role of advocacy in spurring a governmental response to homelessness. The author provides a comprehensive, carefully documented "state of the science" on homelessness, reviews critical issues in managing severe mental illness in the community setting, and presents evidence of the effectiveness of service and housing interventions that have brought stability to the lives of many. Finally, the book reviews the role of homelessness prevention, a recovery orientation, and the promise of early treatment of psychotic disorders to facilitate greater social inclusion and community participation."--Publisher's description Cover 1 The Open Door 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Preface 8 Acknowledgments 10 1. The Open Door: The Mental Health System Transformed 14 2. Voluntarism and the Rise of Advocacy 34 3. Homeless People with Severe Mental Illness 50 4. Overcoming the Problem of Disengagement from Treatment 68 5. Mental Health Services Take to the Streets 85 6. From the Streets to Homes 101 7. Challenges to Bringing Housing to Scale 115 8. National Initiatives to End Homelessness 131 9. Can Homelessness Be Prevented? 147 10. Beyond Housing: Opening the Door to Community Participation 154 Index 168 'The Open Door' explains how and why homelessness in this group has persisted over the past 35 years despite policy and program initiatives to end it. This ten-chapter work chronicles the unintended rise of homelessness in the wake of far-reaching reforms in post-World War II mental health care that resulted in the opening of the doors of the mental asylum and the evolution of a new system of community care that failed to address the multiple service and support needs of people with mental disability Content: The open door: the mental health system transformed -- Voluntarism and the rise of advocacy -- Homeless people with severe mental illness -- Overcoming the problem of disengagement from treatment -- Mental health services take to the streets -- From the streets to homes -- Challenges to bringing housing to scale -- National initiatives to ending homelessness -- Can homelessness be prevented? -- Beyond housing: opening the door to community participation.