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Risk factors for homelessness in adolescents released from psychiatric residential treatment
L E Embry1, A V Vander Stoep, C Evens
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Objectives:
To measure the incidence of homelessness among youths discharged from an inpatient facility as well as to identify factors that place these youths at risk for homelessness.
Method:
Reports of homelessness during 5 years of follow-up interviews with 83 adolescents consecutively discharged from an inpatient facility were used in conjunction with chart reviews.
Results:
One third of youths experienced at least one homeless episode after discharge. Youths who had a history of substance use, physical abuse, running away, or being in state custody were more likely to become homeless than those without such factors. Having a thought disorder, however, was inversely related to becoming homeless after hospital discharge.
Conclusions:
Youths discharged from a residential treatment facility are at high risk for becoming homeless. Interventions to prevent homelessness among adolescent inpatients should be targeted to those with a history of substance abuse, physical abuse, running away, and being in state custody.