Powered by Hopelink of Southern Nevada
According to the 2021 Southern Nevada Homeless Census and Survey, there are 5,083 individuals experiencing homelessness in Southern Nevada on any given night and 13,076 Southern Nevadans — including families with children, couples, and individuals of all ages — who will experience homelessness at some point this year.
Daily experiences of homelessness are traumatizing and challenging because of competing needs for survival. The best, most coordinated medical services are not very effective if the patient’s health is continually compromised by street and shelter conditions. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, even inpatient hospitalization, residential drug treatment and mental health care do not have lasting effects if a client returns to the streets or shelters upon discharge.
Many of us don’t often think about how stable housing affects our overall health, but it provides privacy, safety, and a place to rest and recuperate from illness and other ailments.
The percentage of the homeless population affected by some health conditions can be double or triple that of the general population.
On average, people who are homeless have higher rates of illness and have a 12-year shorter life expectancy than the general U.S. population.
HopeLink of Southern Nevada’s mission is to prevent homelessness and keep families together. It provides residents of Southern Nevada with housing, food, medical care, employment, utility, and low-income homeless assistance programs.
Homelessness and other hardships can happen in the blink of an eye, and the residual hopelessness of these situations can leave individuals with mental and physical health concerns.
Former HopeLink of Southern Nevada client Lorinda worked with debilitating pain to support her young daughter. She had received a raise just before a life-threatening cyst on her spine required immediate surgery and a 12-week recovery.
Lorinda kept her employer up to date regarding the situation and filed the appropriate FMLA paperwork. Her employer fired her and denied her unemployment. Lorinda could not afford a lawyer to represent her, and her surgical recovery and unemployment left her on the cusp of homelessness.
For about six months, Lorinda and her daughter lived in their car as she frantically searched for help. She was later diagnosed with PTSD from her experience.
HopeLink helped Lorinda find housing and provided assistance with rent and utilities. It helped her find a work-from-home job with a major communication technology company. Lorinda was also able to replace a car that was repossessed. At age 50, she’s going back to school, pivoting her career from customer service to data analysis.
Lorinda’s story demonstrates the tie between housing security and overall health. Reliable housing is necessary to realize a healthier society, and communities that invest in affordable housing incur lower public costs and achieve better health outcomes.
Stacey Lockhart joined HopeLink in 2019, and has steered the organization through incredible growth, resulting in an increase of 1000% as the end of 2022.This includes expanding from 14 to 50 employees, strategically expanding the number of board members and influence, annual budget growth from $1.2 to $13.5 million and opening a second office in midtown Las Vegas and additional outreach centers.
This article originally appeared in the February 23 issue of Health Care Quarterly