title: Psychotic ideation and receipt of government entitlements among homeless persons in New York City.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared changes in receipt of government entitlements by homeless persons with and without psychotic ideation in New York City between January 1997 and July 1998, a period characterized by changing state government policies and greater bureaucratic monitoring of eligibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  In conjunction with an experimental study of the efficacy of social work services provided to homeless persons in Manhattan by a mobile medical van, 25 persons who were assessed as having experienced psychotic ideation in the previous year and 134 nonpsychotic persons were followed up after four months to identify changes in their receipt of Medicaid benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), food stamps, and home relief (state welfare for single persons). The social work intervention was designed to help eligible clients gain access to entitlements and substance abuse treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of clients with psychotic ideation who received Medicaid, food stamps, or home relief decreased during the study period, while the proportion of nonpsychotic clients who received these entitlements increased. Little change was observed in receipt of SSI or SSDI by either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychotic ideation among homeless persons may be a significant factor in access to and maintenance of government entitlements. In the context of an increasingly restrictive and bureaucratic welfare system, providing assistance to homeless persons who have severe psychopathology presents new challenges to service providers.
authors.affiliation: National Development and Research Institutes, New York, NY 10048, USA. larry.nuttbrock@ndri.org
authors.forename: Larry A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nuttbrock
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblum
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magura
authors.forename: Hunter L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: McQuistion
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003363:Cost Control / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012943:Social Security / Q000639:trends*; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000639:trends*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*