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Blueprint for Change: Ending Chronic
Homelessness for Persons with Serious
Mental Illnesses and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders
Section I: Before You Begin
Strategies to prevent and end
homelessness among people with serious mental illnesses or co-occurring
disorders must be based on a strong foundation of knowledge about who these
individuals are, why they are susceptible to homelessness, and what has been
done to learn more about their characteristics and service needs. Much of
what we know attests to both the extreme vulnerability and the remarkable
resilience of this disadvantaged and disenfranchised group. We also know
that people with serious mental illnesses and/or co-occurring substance use
disorders who are homeless can and do recover.
The first three chapters in this report—Understand the Changing Context of Care and the
Nation’s Response, Learn About the Population, and Establish Core
Values—provide a basic understanding of individuals with serious mental
illnesses or co-occurring disorders who are homeless, and establish a set of
values that underlie all work on their behalf. In these chapters, you will
learn about the need to:
- Understand how treatment for serious mental
illnesses and substance use disorders has evolved;
- Study the Nation’s response;
- Recognize individual risk factors;
- Explore service system challenges;
- Learn about societal risk factors;
- Understand the concept and practice of
recovery;
- Support values that put people first; and
- Create a system that supports recovery.
Additional information about the materials cited in these chapters can be
found in the References. Organizations that offer technical assistance in
these areas are listed in the Resources section.
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