Homelessness Case Study

1. Reduce the risk/fear of homelessness at a community level by reducing the amount of drugs and alcohol consumed by these clients through education and increased coping.

2. Budgeting classes at the community level will increase the knowledge to live successfully and independently by increasing the knowledge of how to manage money.

Risk for decreased housing satisfaction objectives:

1. Increase housing satisfaction at the community level by reducing the medication non-compliance that exists with this population. Increased medication compliance will reduce depression and anxiety related to the mental health issues that these clients suffer from.

2. Increasing health knowledge through education about diet and exercise at the community level

Teaching will be done to inform these clients about the disease processes that they suffer from and the purpose of the medications that they are taking. Questions will be answered in order to ease anxiety and any insecurities that clients are feeling about their illnesses. Clients have previously voiced concerns in their illnesses as extreme as never wanting to be married or have children because they did not want to pass on their mental illness to others. Education can be provided on living with success while suffering from mental illness. Speakers can be contacted through community channels to search out success stories in order to ease their discomfort and apprehension with mental illness. Proper medication compliance can reduce hospital admissions and increase housing satisfaction by reducing acute episodes related to mental illness. (Shea, McBride, Gavin, & Bauer, 1997) System level interventions could include consultation and coalition building with organizations like behavioral health and the veteran’s hospital to identify resources that are available, success stories, and programs that have been implemented and shown to have success. Through these organizations clientele comfort levels may be increased decreasing anxiety and increasing housing satisfaction. Quarterly sessions with these organizations can be scheduled to educate and identify

There will be a total of 2 classes every month focusing on the interventions that have been mentioned previously. The initial survey that was performed will then be repeated at 6 months and 1 year to evaluate the effectiveness. Once effectiveness has been substantiated or evaluated any changes in the intervention process will be adjusted as needed to ensure that ultimate effectiveness is reached. The interventions will then continue for an additional year with the surveys being taken every 6 months. After year 2 it will be known if clients have benefitted from the PHN interventions and follow up can be performed on graduates of the program. Graduates of the program can also be asked which interventions that they thought were most and least beneficial.

Budget needs for this program are at a minimum due to the PHN volunteering the time for the education classes, upon proven effectiveness the site can determine if they want their own nurse to continue to program as part of their duties. Healthy eating needs can be provided by the New Alternatives site once the grocery lists for each class are made. Clients will participate in the food making process to help in the education process. Materials for budgeting can be donated by the banks as a community resource. System interventions will be brought forward to the director and implemented through their