Information Effect

In the dumps, on the streets, without any hope, without a home. Homelessness is an

ongoing issue that has, seemingly, always been around. Preventative measures have been

attempted in the past but the issue still remains. There are many reasons why people may become

homeless and this alone makes finding a solution difficult and less time efficient. This explains,

in part, why the issue is still prevalent nowadays. For further explanation, “Anyone can

experience homelessness. Each person experiencing homelessness is unique. Those experiencing

homelessness may face issues, such as extreme poverty, physical and mental health concerns

and/or addiction. Such barriers and limited community resources make homelessness difficult to

overcome.” (Neild and Rose 54) This quote provides a glimpse of the diversity of the homeless

population. The situation can only be improved through the ongoing efforts of the community in

which the issue resides. Communities must address this diversity if a feasible and time-bound

solution is ever to be found. This being said, how can support be provided to so many people

with so many different backgrounds?

Homeless shelters have proved their worth many times and have helped provide

temporary housing for those that find themselves in a situation where they have nowhere to live.

Utah’s Road Home Shelter is a good example of this. Unfortunately, the road home shelter in

downtown Salt Lake City closed down in 2019. In addition to a long list of other reasons, this

was done in an effort to promote a transition out of homelessness rather than continue to provide

a temporary remedy. Some details as to when and why the Road Home shelter closed down are

as follows. “The Road Home’s downtown shelter stopped providing services Thursday, marking
the official end of an old “warehousing” model for delivering homeless resources in the Salt

Lake City area and the beginning of a new era focused more on moving people off the streets for

good.” (Stevens, 2019) The Road Home resorted to a method that would delay the problem

rather than reduce it. Now, they’ve reevaluated their methods and are changing their business for

the better. As supportive as homeless shelters are, they’ve only proven to be a temporary fix as

many return to the streets after their stay. So, the question must be asked, how can homeless

shelters endorse a permanent transition out of homelessness?

Transitioning out of homelessness can be difficult, but it is not impossible. With proper

support and counseling, many individuals and families can have the wonderful opportunity to

transition out of homelessness permanently. Occupational therapy has been shown to support this

transition. According to a study summarized by Kristie Cabrera, “Post Intervention survey results

revealed that as a result of the environmental interventions, 95% of participants agreed that they

were more aware of the services provided at the shelter to assist in transitioning to stable living,

94% agreed that they were more likely to take advantage of the services, and 95% agreed that

they felt motivated to continue making the shelter a better place. Occupational therapy is an

untapped resource that can support the homeless population through shelter environmental

modifications.” (Cabrera, 2018) The results of this study show that many people experiencing

homelessness agree that services provided by homeless shelters with the purpose of a transition

are effective and worthwhile.

In addition to homeless shelters, there is another method for reducing homelessness that

has just recently been exploited. Housing First is a program that has been proven to reduce
homelessness. This program takes the approach of building a place for these people to live rather

than providing a shelter for a temporary stay. Housing First’s results have been very positive and

have really helped to make a change, especially in Utah. Katie McKellar gives good and brief

insight into Housing First in Utah. She says, “The Housing First model that reduced Utah’s

chronically homeless has still been heralded as a best practice — and Utah’s homeless system

continues to place emphasis on housing. With the new centers came more beds for drug

treatment and plans for more permanent supportive housing.” (McKellar, 2019) As seen,

Housing First embodies the drive for a more permanent solution that the Road Home lacked

previously. The Housing First model can always be improved and the Road Home shelter can

use this as an example of how to endorse a transition out of homelessness. Both of these

programs have different methods of operation but share a common mission.

According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Utah had an

estimated homeless population of 2,798. This is relatively low compared to other states of similar

size and population. Utah’s efforts in reducing homelessness have set them apart from other

states. Even though the problem hasn’t been completely solved, their ongoing efforts are going to

benefit the situation greatly as time passes. There are many ways to support and encourage a

transition out of homelessness, two of which have been discussed. The Road Home, with their

changing perspective and goals, and Housing First, with their successful results. It’s programs

like these that will pave the way for a better future.
 Sources

Neild, M., & Rose, J. (2019). Addressing Homelessness in Parks. Parks & Recreation, 54(1), 50.

Stevens, T., & Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. (n.d.). Road Home's downtown shelter closed to homeless

as Utah transitions to a new service model. Retrieved from

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/11/21/road-homes-downtown/

Cabrera, K., Decker, R., & Williams, R. (2018). A Day Shelter Environment’s Role in

Transitioning Out of Homelessness: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach...AOTA Annual

Conference & Expo, April 19 to April 22, 2018, Salt Lake City, Utah. American Journal

of Occupational Therapy, 72, 1.

https://doi-org.libprox1.slcc.edu/10.5014/ajot.2018.72S1-RP102D

McKellar, K. (2019, December 2). Salt Lake City's downtown shelter closure capped off a

massive shift to a new homeless system. Will the new model work? Retrieved from
 https://www.deseret.com/utah/2019/12/1/20985696/utah-road-home-homeless-shelter-sal

t-lake

Utah Homelessness Statistics. (n.d.).

Retrieved from https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ut/