On any given night hundreds of thousands of Americans are without a home, and millions more live in fear that their family may end up homeless in the near future. Homelessness is associated with myriad negative issues related to economic status, physical health and mental conditions, and social and emotional outcomes. These negative effects manifest in different ways for people who are experiencing sheltered or unsheltered homeless. Evidence indicates that individuals who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness are more vulnerable than people in shelters and deal with higher rates of issues related to physical and mental health and substance abuse.
