P-08 Improving access to mental health and substance abuse services for the homeless: A systematic review
Author(s):
S Volk, S Szydlowski
Year of Presentation:
2025
Objective: To identify strategies for increasing the availability of mental health and substance abuse services to the
homeless and indigent.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify strategies to improve access to mental health and substance abuse services for the homeless. Secondary data was obtained from articles, websites, and a book. Thirty-six (36) documents met the inclusion criteria. Thematic coding was utilized to arrive at results.
Results: Homeless suffer from many problems accessing healthcare. Homeless healthcare needs are different from those of the general, securely-housed population. . There are several barriers that keep People Experiencing Homelessness (PEH) from seeking preventative care or even emergency care, leading homeless people to die an average of 12 years earlier than people with access to secure housing.
Conclusion: PEH experience many difficulties and hardships that are difficult for securely housed people to understand or know how to help with. One of the problems currently facing the homeless is the lack of available, affordable, and accessible healthcare services to help them get and stay healthy and treat any illnesses or injuries they experience. The public system should pursue collaboration with the private sector to develop mental health and substance abuse programs to improve the delivery of healthcare to the homeless.