The Open Door: Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness in the Era of Community Treatment
Carol L. M. Caton
Abstract
The Open Door: Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness in the Era of Community Treatment, 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 book 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. The book documents t ... More
The Open Door: Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness in the Era of Community Treatment, 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 book 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. The book documents the key role of advocacy in spurring a governmental response to homelessness and the creative efforts by mental health professionals and service providers to address the gaps in services and supports engendered in the transition from institutional to community care. A highlight of the book is its comprehensive, carefully documented “state of the science” on homelessness, review of critical issues in managing severe mental illness in the community setting, and presentation of the effectiveness of service and housing interventions that have brought stability to the lives of many. The higher cost of enriched programs and the scarcity of low-cost housing options have constrained their widespread dissemination, challenging the political will to bring an end to the tragedy of homelessness in America. 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.
Keywords:
Homelessness,
severe mental illness,
social and clinical characteristics,
evidence-based care,
supportive housing,
homeless advocacy,
ending chronic homelessness,
social inclusion
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2017 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780190463380 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: April 2017 |
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190463380.001.0001 |
