Homelessness in America

2 credits · Undergraduate

The course will address issues of homelessness in the context of social responsibility for the poor and definitions of poverty and need. It will consider the legal, social, and economic context of homelessness. It will look at homelessness as a full-time job of survival, exploring the prospects of the homeless for changing their condition. The course will look at the diversity of the homeless, their special needs, handicaps, and behaviors. It will explore the newly institutionalized system of caring for the homeless, its problems, and prospects. Included for consideration will be government-supported and private programs for housing and social services as well as new ways for addressing the homelessness problem through the child welfare, housing, health, mental health, and substance abuse treatment systems.