Understanding and Addressing the Health Problems of Students Experiencing Homelessness
ABSTRACT SUMMARY
1.3 million homeless children were enrolled in public schools in 2013. They face significant medical, psychological, developmental, nutritional, educational, and safety risks and traumatic stress associated with their homelessness. This workshop will consider the development and delivery of health services that reach homeless children and youth.
ABSTRACT DESCRIPTION
The US Department of Education reports that 1.3 million homeless children were enrolled in public schools in 2013. Additional students are thought to be homeless or residentially unstable but not identified as such by school systems. Despite reports of a decline in homelessness in certain subpopulations of adults, child and family homelessness continues to increase. Some of these are youth living independently; others are with parents or other family members in highly unstable situations. All face significant medical, psychological, developmental, nutritional, educational, and safety risks associated with their homelessness. Traumatic stress is a common condition among people experiencing homelessness. Moreover, despite the safe haven that schools may provide, homeless children and youth often harbor a generalized mistrust of adult authority figures including health care providers.
These factors must be understood and considered in the development of health services that reach homeless children and youth. In the clinical encounter, patient interviews, treatment plans and anticipatory guidance often need to be modified in the face of homelessness. This workshop will explore the social determinants of health associated with homelessness, their impact on children and youth, the on-going development by the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) Clinicians’ Network of anticipatory guidance for clinicians’ use, and promising practices in the diagnosis and treatment of students experiencing homelessness. The presentation will reference materials from the HCH Clinicians’ Network, the National Center on Family Homelessness, and the National Center for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, as well as standard clinical guidelines and anticipatory guidelines.
PRESENTER(S)
NAME: D. Michael Durham MTS ORGANIZATION: National Health Care for the Homeless Council NAME: Mark Fox MD, PhD, MPH ORGANIZATION: University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine
AUDIENCE
ADMINISTRATORS: Y
PRIMARY HEALTH: Y
MENTALHEALTH: N
ORGANIZATIONAL: N
PUBLIC HEALTH: N
EDUCATION: N
YOUTH: N
Technical
issues should be directed to Deirdre Taylor via email: dtaylor@sbh4all.org
or Telephone: (202) 638-5872, ext. 204
