Session: Family Homelessness

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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

4203.0: Tuesday, November 07, 2006: 2:30 PM-4:00 PM

Oral

Family Homelessness

This session addresses the medical and psychosocial characteristics of homeless women and children, as well as patterns of family homelessness. Presenters report on the special and extensive service needs of homeless families, including trauma-informed and family-based services, housing, education, transitional planning, and mental health services. Presenters also discuss how some policies on serving homeless women are uninformed by the differences between homeless women whose children live with them and homeless women whose children live elsewhere, thus resulting in service gaps. Other concerns include homeless women with chronic medical illnesses, the high degree of stress among homeless caregivers, and personal safety issues for women and children having been exposed to violence.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants in this session will be able to: 1. Identify unique service needs of women and children experiencing homelessness. 2. Describe medical and psychosocial characteristics of homeless women and children. 3. Describe patterns of homelessness among families. 4. Articulate the importance of trauma-informed and family-based services for women and children experiencing homelessness.

Moderator(s):

Cheryl Zlotnick, RN, DrPH

2:30 PM

Chronic Homelessness and Women