Many people in the US suffer from different types of mental illnesses. One state that has reported mental illnesses among its homeless people is Mississippi. Studies have shown that the number of homeless people in Jackson, Ms who also suffer from different types of mental illnesses have increased over the time. The homeless people in Jackson also have various types of psychiatric mental disorders and therefore, need effective help from health professionals in the region. It is important to come up with a health promotion program that can help these less fortunate people to deal with the mental health issues that affect. Therefore, this paper is a health promotion program for the mentally ill homeless people in Jackson, Ms.
Evaluation of the health issue
Mental health problem has greatly affected many young and old people living in Jackson, Ms. Studies show that most of the street or homeless people who suffer from mental illness either have families or lack family members to live with (Fowler, 2016) . Those who have families are scared of living with their family members because of their conditions. The condition, which the homeless and mentally ill people refer to, is the fact that most of them are hooked on drugs. On the same note, most of them also suffer from manic depressions, paranoid schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and delusion, homicidal and suicidal tendencies among others (Fowler, 2016) . Moreover, the people living on the streets are mothers, fathers, children, and teenagers also have mental health problems. People related to the homeless and mentally ill do not seem to understand how to deal with the conditions of their loved ones and hence let them wander about in the streets.
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Other studies also prove that some of these people have sources of income but the jobs are not steady enough to sustain them. They also use their little income on drugs such as crack and marijuana. Some of them are alcohol and drug addicts and these issues have led to some of their mental illnesses. It is also clear that most of the homeless people in Jackson, Ms. are in dire need of health promotional programs that enable them to receive effective medication for their mental illnesses. In fact, studies have shown that most of them have stopped using medication because they do not believe that they are mentally ill. Moreover, some of them have stopped using their medications because they cannot reason effectively and do not believe in taking such medications.
As such, it is important for them to have access to adequate health projects that make it possible for them to get access to the drugs that help them keep their mental illnesses in check. Moreover, the homeless people who are also mentally ill in Jackson, Ms. need mental health experts who can help them take their medication effectively to enable them to achieve a stable mental health condition (Mississippi Department of Mental Health, 2017) . Similarly, those who have hopes of rejoining their families but are afraid of doing so because of their drug addictions also need health experts who can enable them to join rehabilitation centers or receive counseling services that will help them overcome their drug dependence and hence resume their normal family lives. The homeless people also need effective mental health programs that will make it possible for them to regain their normal mental factions. On the same note, they need health programs that will not only monitor how they take their medication, but a program that will allow effective regular follow-ups to ensure that the homeless people get their medication as often as possible to enable them live better lives.
Community description
Jackson, Ms is a small community that has a culturally dynamic population. The cultural dynamism makes it possible for the people in the community to experience different types of cultural and social activities that affect their citizens mentally. One factor that has led to the increasing number of homeless people in the community is the issue of drug abuse. Both young and old people, as well as men, women, boys and girls from the age of 15 years, engage in the use of drugs. Addiction and substance abuse has played a role in increasing the number of homeless people who suffer from mental illnesses. Moreover, some of the homeless people in Jackson are in greater denial of the fact that they suffer from mental illnesses and as such have decided to withdraw from their medications (Shmindt, 2017) . This factor has made it hard for them to live better lives. They also have no one providing for them and are left to fend for themselves.
Needs Assessment
The qualitative assessment of mental health needs in Jackson reveals that a large percentage of the homeless people in the community also suffer from various types of mental illnesses. For example, they suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, manic depression, OCD, and homicidal and suicidal tendencies, and delusions (Fowler, 2016) . The qualitative analysis also shows that most of the patients are currently on medication but do not adhere well to their prescription. Moreover, they do not believe that they suffer from a mental health issue and choose not to seek any medical help. However, those, who accept their mental health conditions, are on medication. However, some of them do not follow their medical prescriptions effectively and hence constantly relapse.
The quantitative analysis shows that almost 20 percent of the population of homeless people suffers from various mental conditions. On the same note, most of the homeless people also abuse drugs such as cocaine and marijuana (Adam, 2014) . Similarly, most of them also reveal being alcohol addicts. Therefore, it is clear that they need effective health promotion programs that will help them get out of drug and alcohol abuse. It is also important for them to get access to adequate mental health medications and health services such as counseling that will help them get out of drug abuse and hence improve their health.
National statistics
The quantitative analysis shows that almost 20 percent of the population of homeless people in Jackson, Ms suffers from various mental conditions. Similarly, studies show that as at 2010 that between 20 to 25 percent of the homeless population in the USA also suffered from severe mental health disorders. The study also reported that mental health was the leading cause of homeless in all states in the US. Other factors also showed that drug and alcohol abuse was 40 times more likely to cause mental illnesses. Region 9 is one of the community mental health centers in Mississippi receives about 50 to 100 cases of homeless people who are also mentally ill.
Community
Current research studies have shown that most of the homeless people who also suffer from mental illnesses also get access to medications (Wolf, 2014) . A large number of the people, who have access to mental health medications, can keep their health in check. However, those hooked on drugs and those who abuse alcohol do not have access to health services that enable them to deal with drug and alcohol addictions. Some of them report going through rehabilitation services while others do not have access to such services. Moreover, those who have access to medication do not seem to take them as required or as prescribed by their mental health practitioners. It is also clear from research that there are a good number of mental health organizations that aim to help such people live better lives. On the same note, some of them also have access to effective housing (Molez, 2016).
Similarly, studies have shown that Missippi currently has 8 progressive Assertive Community Treatment teams that help homeless and mentally ill people in the region. The PACT are operated in community health centers such as Life help and Mental health Services among others. The department of mental health in Mississippi also advances grants to community Mental Health Centers in Jackson and surrounding communities in Ms.
Therefore, this program will not be new to Jackson but will act as a complementary program to help the homeless and mentally ill people to receive effective medications. The program will conduct frequent follow-ups to ensure that all those already diagnosed with different mental health conditions receive the right medication for their health issue. Similarly, the program will work in collaboration with other mental health institutions to provide free mental health check services to homeless people to help them evaluate their conditions. It will also come up with rehabilitation centers to help those hooked on drugs and alcohol to get effective help.
Rationale for starting the program
It is clear from the above discussion that Mississippi has various Community Mental Health Facilities. However, most of the health centers do not serve the homeless in Jackson. Ms. Therefore, the main reason for starting the program is to help increase the availability of health services for homeless people who are also mentally ill.
References
Adam, M. (2014). Mississippi state hospital recognizes. Jackson: Mississippi State Hospital. Accessed on 12 April 2017 from http://www.msh.state.ms.us/PressandMedia/Aspire/2014/Aspire%2007%2020%2014.pdf
Fowler, R. (2016). Homeless in Jackson persevere alone. Jakson : The Clarion Ledger . Accessed on 12, April 2017 from http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/10/01/homeless-jackson/91223080/
Mississippi Department of Mental Health. (2017). Progress update of Mississippi's public mental health system. Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Accessed on 12 April 2017 from http://www.dmh.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Progress-Update-on-Mississippis-Public-Mental-Health-System-November-2016-updates.pdf
Molez , A. (2016). Homeless, mentally ill youth benefit from housing program. Jackson : Health Day. Accessed on 12 April 2017 from Homeless, Mentally Ill Youth Benefit From Housing Program
Shmindt, T. (2017). NAMI: Significant connection between homelessness, mental illness. Jackson: MS News. Accessed on 12 April 2017 from http://www.kplctv.com/story/34643033/nami-significant-connection-between-homelessness-mental-illness
Wolf, A. (2014). Left to Fend: The State’s Mental Health Failure. Jackson : Jackson Free Press. Accessed on 12 April 2017 from http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2014/aug/27/left-fend-states-mental-health-failure/
