title: Long-term and chronic homelessness in homeless women and women with children.
abstract: The Chronic Homelessness initiative has directed millions of federal dollars to services for single "unaccompanied homeless" individuals, specifically excluding women living with their children. Using a data set with a nationally representative sample of homeless adults, we calculated the prevalence rates and profiles of long-term homelessness in homeless women (n = 849). With the exception of the criterion of being a single "unaccompanied individual," many women, including women with children, met the criteria for chronic homelessness including having a disability of mental health or substance abuse problems. Our findings suggest that the federal definition of chronic homelessness needs to be revised.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Vulnerable Child, Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA. czlotnick@mail.cho.org
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zlotnick
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult