University of Phoenix
By: Diana Thornton
August 24, 2009
What does the word population and Vulnerable mean?
Population means the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region. Vulnerable population is defined as individuals made vulnerable by: Financial circumstances or place of residence
Functional or developmental status
Ability to communicate effectively
Presence of chronic or terminal illness or disability
Population less able than others to safeguard their own needs and interests adequately
Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing, because they cannot afford, and or unable to maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing. It may also include people whose primary nighttime residence is in a homeless shelter. Homeless shelter is an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or in a public or private place not designed for a permit sleeping accommodation for people who are homeless. An estimated 100 million people worldwide who are homeless. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a "chronically homeless" person as "an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years." Proposed solutions to homelessness:
Housing First, In the USA, the government asked many major cities to come up with a 10 year plan to end homelessness and one of the results of this was a "Housing First" solution which quickly gets a homeless person permanent housing of some sort and the necessary support services to sustain a new home. Many complications with theses kind of program and they must be dealt with in order to make work successfully in the middle to long term. Pedestrian Villages:
In 2007 urban designer and social theorist Michael E Arthur proposed a controversial national solution for homelessness that would involve building nearly carefree Pedestrian villages in place of what he terms "the current band-aid approach to the problem." A prototype, Tiger Bay Village, was proposed for near Daytona Beach, FL. He claims that this would be superior for treating the psychological as well as psychiatric needs of both temporarily and permanently homeless adults, and would cost less than the current approach. It would also provide a lower cost alternative to jail, and provide half-way station for those getting out of prison. Work opportunities, including construction and maintenance of the villages, as well the creation of workforce agencies would help make the villages financially and socially viable. Problems faced by homeless people:
Homeless people often face many problems beyond the lack of a safe and suitable home. They are often faced with many social disadvantages and reduced access to private and public services such as: Reduced access to health care,
Limited access to education,
Increased risk of suffering from violence and abuse,
General discrimination from other people,
Not being seen as suitable for employment.
Reduced access to banking services to save money,
Reduced access to communications , such as telephones or the internet.
Violent crimes against the homeless:
There have been many violent crimes committed against the homeless population. A study was done in 2007 on crime rate and it showed that crime has increase at a stagnate rate. Assistance and resources available to the homeless
Most countries provide a variety of services to assist homeless people. They often provide food, shelter and clothing and may be organized and run by community organizations or by government departments. These programs may be supported by government, charities, churches and individual donors. In 1998, a study by Koegel and Shoeing of a homeless...