Los Angeles, July 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Michele Nealon, president of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, says the only way we can solve the nation's homeless crisis is through a highly concentrated and coordinated effort involving public and private sectors. This process is already helping a variety of communities start to manage the crisis but Dr. Nealon, who is a licensed clinical psychologist, says this effort must be sustained and it must be replicated across the country.
“People become homeless for many reasons and those reasons are usually beyond their control. Psychology, healthcare and policy professionals can work together to stop the vicious cycles of economic inequality, systemic racism, soaring real estate costs, substance abuse, and domestic violence that have left so many people marginalized from society and unable to find a way back,” Dr. Nealon explains.
The United States now has more than half a million homeless people, and unless federal dollars are put into housing subsidies for people who will face eviction after losing their income during the pandemic, homelessness is projected to grow by 50% or more this year.
“No matter the cause of homelessness, there must be a support structure in place that helps people lift themselves out of it. That means a coordinated effort across many public agencies and privately funded organizations. It means channeling money into more preventative measures, more investments in programs that take into account psychological concerns and produce social returns, and more expansions to the national level, of practices that have worked at the local level.”
Drawing on her experience as well as interviews with people who have experienced and who are experiencing homelessness, case workers, and advocates for the homeless, Dr. Nealon is in the process of writing Home for Good: How America can and must solve the homeless crisis before it’s too late, a book that offers a blueprint of policies, therapies, and practices that work.
She emphasizes that the solution is more than just creating enough affordable housing. “Living without a permanent roof causes stresses on the body and mind, so that many need rehabilitation before they can function in a job or a home. Society, too, suffers both economically and psychologically. By creating a system around the premise that housing is a basic right and therefore includes social justice measures, safety nets, health care, and treatment for mental illness and addiction, we can end the crisis.”
For resources on mental and behavioral health, go to http://www.thechicagoschool.edu/insight/.
About Michele Nealon, Psy.D.
Dr. Michele Nealon is president of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, one of the most successful non-profit professional graduate and undergraduate universities in the nation with campuses across the country. The Chicago School trains nearly 6,000 students every year from more than 30 countries in the fields of psychology, health sciences, and nursing. Dr. Nealon has spent her career ensuring that underserved populations receive the mental health care they need. Her clinical experience includes work with diverse groups of people in a variety of settings including inpatient, outpatient, community mental health, forensic, and academic. Under Dr. Nealon’s direction, The Chicago School has taken a leadership position to tackle some of the most distressing and challenging issues of today, including homelessness, adolescent suicide, and healthcare disparity.
About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Integrating theory with hands-on experience, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology provides education rooted in a commitment to innovation, service, and community for thousands of diverse students across the United States and globally. Founded in 1979, the nonprofit, regionally accredited university now features campuses in iconic locations across the country (Chicago, Southern California, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Dallas) and online. To spark positive change in the world where it matters most, The Chicago School has continued to expand its educational offerings beyond the field of psychology to offer more than 35 degrees and certificates in the professional fields of health services, nursing, education, counseling, business, and more. Through its engaged professional model of education, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and an extensive network of domestic and international professional partnerships, The Chicago School’s students receive real-world training opportunities that reflect their future careers. The Chicago School is also a proud affiliate of TCS, a nonprofit system of colleges advancing student success and community impact. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu.