In 250 Words — Family Homelessness

Let’s Get Beyond the Standbys. Homelessness is Complicated!

How often do we hear that the causes of homelessness are mental illness and/or addictions?

Well, certainly those 2 health conditions have a great impact on creating and perpetuating homelessness, but really, homelessness springs from

OTHER STUFF.

This chart focuses on family and youth homelessness, but certainly overlaps with adult homelessness. DDN

Homelessness is complicated. My 250-word Other Stuff diagram is not the be-all-end-all word on family homelessness, but it certainly offers a more comprehensive way of looking at this growing issue. It’s meant as a conversation (and action) starter.

To be clear, homelessness is much more than the dismissive “500,000 people sleeping on the streets” that gets tossed around by politicians and media.

A recent report on the number of identified students experiencing homelessness in the US blasts that misguided 500,000 number out of the water. More than 1.5 million students were identified in 2017–18, a 15% increase over the last 3 years.

“So, even though the data shows 1.5 million students as experiencing homelessness, the number could be greater.

“Schools and…