Why the Homeless Refuse Help

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According to the National Coalition of Homelessness, hypothermia kills an estimated 700 people experiencing homelessness each year (NPR). Why the homeless do not go to shelters is beyond the understanding of many concerned citizens and care providers. There are nine key reasons why the homeless refuse help off the streets.

1. They view shelters as dangerous places.
2. They feel inundated with religion and substance abuse and mental health counseling when in them.
3. They cannot bring their pets into the shelter with them.
4. They refuse to comply with mandatory drug treatment requirements.
5. They do not like shelter rules.
6. They feel like shelter workers treat them like children.
7. They know that many homeless shelters have bed bugs or body lice.
8. They feel stressed and crammed when in a shelter.
9. They enjoy the sense of community that people on the street share. They do not want to leave their friends or family behind.

Listen to what one representative said for Chico Lockhart, an outreach organization that tries to get people off the streets:

Here is a further explanation of the most common reasons the homeless refuse help:

a) Shelters are dangerous places

Many homeless individuals have been to shelters before. They refuse to go back because they feel unsafe in them. Whether due to mere paranoia caused by an individual's unfortunate battle with mental illness or is a legitimate take on the reality of the conditions within the homeless shelter itself, the feeling of unsafety is as real as it gets. Some individuals site witnessing violence, drug solicitation, or theft as reasons it is unsafe to stay.

Violence

In the article entitled, "Are homeless people dangerous?" I explored the issue of violence in homelessness. I found that the homeless generally are not violent, but are more likely so if they abuse substances.

Drug solicitation

Approximately 26% of the homeless abuse substances other than alcohol (Homelessness and Substance Abuse). While probably not a major issue at most shelters, drug solicitation likely does occur.

Theft

"It is a constant struggle to protect one’s belongings," reports Lu Zhao. Many of the homeless refuse help because they're suspicious that fellow shelter members will steal their belongings.

b) The homeless feel inundated with counseling

The path to recovery begins with treatment. Many shelters know this. They work diligently to teach and treat the homeless when needed. Religiously affiliated shelters teach the homeless religion. Many studies suggest it helps. Most offer treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. All of which, sometimes feel overwhelming to the individual. They just want to go somewhere to lay their head at night. They don't want to be treated for underlying conditions.

The homeless refuse help because they feel inundated with religious, mental illness, and substance abuse counseling. While some shelters offer these services but do require them, others offer shelter to the homeless contingent on their attendance in such programs. Some homeless people leave because they feel bombarded by them.

c) They cannot take their pets along with them

Most shelters do not allow pets. Many homeless individuals lack family or friends to leave their pets with. When faced with the decision to get help from a shelter or stay with their furry best friends, many choose to stay with their pets. While governments often offer grants to shelters to entice them to allow dogs and cats in their jurisdiction, we are still a long way from providing enough beds for the homeless with pets.

d) They're not ready to give up drugs or alcohol

"The main reason why many homeless people shied away from shelter services because submitting to a drug-treatment program was a prerequisite for admission suggests John Davis from Texas Tech University.

The final reason why homeless people refuse help is that they cannot pass drug or alcohol screenings and are not ready to give up their habits. Many shelters require breathalyzers or mouth swabs upon entry or extended stays and some individuals simply cannot pass them.

Sometimes, an individual doesn't receive help not because they refuse it, but because they simply cannot navigate through the process of getting help says Rina Palta. They sometimes do not know how to attain the resources they need. Other times, the resources they need are unavailable to them.

Summary

The main reasons why homeless people refuse help are that they view shelters as dangerous places, feel inundated with religion and substance abuse and mental health counseling when in them, cannot take their pets into the shelters, and have substance abuse disorders that prevent them from meeting the requirements of drug screenings.

Other reasons cited are that they do not like the rules of the shelters, feel like shelter workers treat them like children, do not want to get the bed bugs or body lice that some shelters have, feel stressed and crammed in shelters, and enjoy the sense of community that people on the streets share.