The warmth and comfort in one’s home is something that is close to many people’s hearts. In the United States, especially in small suburban households, families come together to bond. In a small cozy home, children run and play joyously, and are nurtured with love from their parents. Parents provide for their children by giving them a roof over their heads, keeping food on the table, providing clothes to wear, and giving them a safe place to sleep. The children who are able to do this are part of a small, privileged class in the United States.
There is a small population in the United States where youth live in the streets, and have to provide for themselves. In the United States, homeless youth is often disregarded, because many people believe that a parent would not abandon their child to survive on his or herself. Youth are homeless not necessarily because they choose to be, but because of the factors in their lives that lead up to homelessness. Few factors could include but are not limited to: family or friend abuse, drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, financial instability, previous homelessness, sexual orientation, sex trafficking or foster care.
In this case, youth are referred to young adults who are under the age of twenty-four. Throughout the United States, there are children living on the streets, in homeless shelters, or in foster homes. According to the Housing of Urban Development’s 2014 Point-inTime Report, out of the entire homeless population, 34% are homeless teens (HUD). One of the main factors for young ending up homeless is due to family problems, or problems at home. Parents constantly fighting at home can lead to abusive behavior towards heir children.
Parents who drink or do drugs have a high likelihood to exhibit abuse behavior towards one another. Parents who are also in abusive relationships can carry this same behavior towards their children. Children growing up do not need to see their parents fighting with one another. When the abusive behavior is carried over to the child, they become scared, traumatized, and is not able to trust other older adults in their lives. Children run and hide in fear from their parents because they believe that they are going to get hit from doing something wrong.
Michael Pergamit performed a survey of high school students, and his studies showed that nearly one out of five youth under that age of 18 will run away from home at least once in their lives (Pergamit 5). Girls also have a higher percentage of running away from home due to male abuse (Pergamit 12). This is just one of the main factors that can lead to a high population of homeless youth in the United States. Drugs and alcohol are two other factors that can contribute to homeless youth. Youth do not know how to control themselves when it comes to these addictions.
They often abuse their power. They do not know when to stop or when to seek help when needed. These addictions of drugs and alcohol can start from the influences of friends and family. Once they are hooked onto these substances, they have a hard time letting go, like a leech feeding on the blood of their host. Most children have easy access to drugs or alcohol because their parents use these substances at home and leave them around the house. Youth will do anything in their power to find a way to get these substances in their hands.
The American Journal of Public Health reports 80% of homeless youth use drugs or alcohol to selfmedicate for dealing with the traumatic experiences and abuse they have in their lives (Greene, Ennett, Ringwalt 231). Due to the many traumatic experiences in their lives, it is difficult to stop the cycle of abuse. After becoming homeless at a young age, youth have a hard time rebuilding themselves. They have a difficult time looking for jobs or maintaining an education. Since they do not have a source of income, they remain homeless due to everyday monetary demands.
While remaining homeless, it is hard to access public services, such as going to a hospital. If one does not have easy access to a hospital, one many not be able to find the help needed for any health conditions that may arise in the future. Not being able to access a health institution can increase the change of developing a mental health issue or health problem. Mental health issues are mental disorders that can range from schizophrenia to depression. Every year at least 5,000 youth die from assault, illness or suicide (Safe Horizon).
Mental health issues can contribute to more factors in a homeless youth’s life. If a teenager is depressed and does not have the resources to get help, their state of depression worsens, and he or she may commit suicide. Having a stable source of income is a struggle for many families. Financial instability is something that no one would want to go through, but the cold, harsh truth is that financial instability is a struggle for many people in the United States. Financial instability can lead families to live on the streets. Becoming homeless has many hardships and struggles that follow behind.
Alex is a 22 year-old who is from the Bay Area. He states, “Homeless are the ones who give up. ” Alex has been previously homeless due to his parent’s financial circumstance. During Alex’s senior year, both his parents lost their jobs. They were forced to sell their home and belongs to pay off numerous loans. At the prime of his high school career, he had to give up his dreams of going to college and live from shelter to shelter. For approximately one year, Alex found an apartment and lived paycheck to paycheck, Unfortunately, he struggled to pay rent leading his landlord to evict him.
He once again became homeless. At this point of his life, he gave up on his dreams and hopes because nothing was going his way. Many previously homeless youth become homeless again due to financial instability. It is a vicious cycle of becoming homeless. They also become homeless once again because they aren’t able to adjust to the demanding lifestyle of paying rent, utilities and other small necessities. 40% of homeless youth are identify themselves as LGBTQ. Many families reject their children because they do not approve of