Homeless Youth Need More Than Treatment For Substance Abuse, Study Says

ScienceDaily (May 12, 2008) — A new study of homeless youth suggests that treating substance abuse and mental health problems may not be enough to help get teens off the streets.

Instead, researchers found that creating more opportunities for work, education and medical care were the most important factors in reducing homelessness.

A study of 180 homeless youth in New Mexico found that those with the most social stability, such as those who attended school more often or those who had a job, were most likely to reduce their homeless days over a six-month period.

While youth who had a history of abuse or mental health problems were more likely to become homeless, those same characteristics did not predict teens and young adults getting off the street six months later.

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