Module 3. The Intersection of Homelessness, Health, and Justice Systems

There is a clear intersection between homelessness, prison re-entry, and behavioral health needs. Research shows that being incarcerated in a prison increases a person’s likelihood of experiencing homelessness: People who have been to prison once are seven times more likely to experience homelessness than those who have not, while people who have had more than one prison sentence are 13 times more likely. Looking at the behavioral health needs of people coming home from prison, we find people in great need of continued treatment in the community. One-third of people in prison report a previous mental health disorder diagnosis. Data show that people experiencing homelessness have higher rates than people whose housing is secure of mental health and substance abuse issues.

Effective police outreach to the homeless community requires an understanding of community members’ unique life histories and behavioral health needs. The linked video panel offers the perspectives of peers, police, corrections, and behavioral health experts on the intersection of housing, health, and the justice system and recommendations for local partnerships serving people experiencing homelessness.

Panel Members

Eric Borsuk
Writer and Journalist 

Douglas P. Gorman Jr., LMHC
Assistant Mental Health Director
Hillsborough County (Florida) Jails

Daniel McDonald, MPA
Homelessness & Panhandling Consultant
Homeless Innovations, LLC
Tampa (Florida) Police Department (retired)

Panel Facilitated by Sarah Wurzburg, MA
Program Director, Behavioral Health
The Council of State Governments, Justice Center

Five Recommendations from the Panel

  1. Learn more about how homelessness, re-entry, and behavioral health are linked in the lives of people you may encounter. People experiencing homelessness have high rates of both justice involvement and behavioral health issues. Learning about how these histories impact the individual’s current story will help you to assess the best ways to engage the person and connect them to the right services.  The justice system often leaves people coming home from prison without stable connections to housing and health services; understanding this gap in re-entry services will assist you in connecting to a person’s story and determining how you can support them.
  2. Develop a trauma-informed approach to your work. Being trauma-informed means that you understand that the person in front of you likely has a history with one or more traumatic events. Learning more about how people live in and return from prison will help law enforcement officers understand why some people experiencing homelessness are hesitant to engage with the justice or shelter systems. For example, some people you may encounter might be afraid to talk with police because of fear of returning to prison or prior negative justice involvement; though you are trying to help get that person housed, they may see you as a threat of further prison time. An understanding of trauma can help you to develop new engagement strategies to connect the justice-involved population to the right services.
  3. Develop relationships with local stakeholders. Forming multiagency collaborations including police, peer support teams, and housing and health experts will help to strengthen your system of care. By removing silos and creating collaborative systems, local agencies can increase their chance of helping this population in a meaningful and sustainable way. Reach out to local agencies to learn how you can be a partner in this shared work.
  4. Have a local system in place to identify people in need of behavioral health services. Community partners can point you to validated screening and assessment tools to identify individuals at risk and in need and help connect them to care. Case management support for behavioral health needs can be a great support for people experiencing homelessness; case managers can help to select and coordinate services, serve as liaisons with other partners, and supply consistent support.
  5. Remain focused on your mission to help people live better lives. This work is based on supporting people experiencing homelessness. This work can certainly be difficult; remaining on your mission to help people better their circumstances should never be forgotten.

Resources

View the full Sharing the Solutions: Police-Court Partnerships to Address Homelessness multimedia toolkit.