Homelessness and mental illness: who resorts to state hospitals?

Mental illness among the homeless is a topic which has received much attention in the last few years. Most studies in this field have examined the incidence and prevalence of mental illness among the residents of temporary shelters, missions and SRO hotels. Using data from a broader policy study of community mental health, this study addresses the issue of mental illness and homelessness from a different direction. By examining the incidence and subjective meaning of homelessness among patients in state hospitals, this study attempts to understand the relationship between homelessness, illness and the admission process. It was found that a significant portion (18 percent) of hospitalized mental patients attributed their admission to problems in housing. This group uses the hospital as a resource in their lives, admitting themselves to the hospital to replace inadequate social networks. For such patients, a mental hospital admission reflects a rational decision, based on his/her understanding of the limited options for care in an age of deinstitutionalization.