Bridge of Hope Participant Experience of Three Risk Factors: Mental Health Diagnosis, Domestic Violence and Substance Use/Dependence 

The chart above displays the percentage of participants served across years who reported having experienced any or all of three risk factors, a formal mental health diagnosis, domestic violence and substance use/dependence.

The percentage of adults reporting a formal mental health diagnosis has ranged from 34 to 45 percent across years. From 2019 to 2021, the percentage was stable in the mid-30s. The percentage has crept up slightly since 2021-22 to the low to mid-40s. It is worth noting that the elevated years occurred post pandemic. It’s also worth noting that this chart represents only those participants with a formal diagnosis. The trauma of homelessness alone often leads to anxiety and depression. It is likely that a much higher percentage of families served, including all family members, have or are experiencing some sort of mental health challenges.

The percentage of adults that reported having experienced domestic violence is consistently high across years, fluctuating from the mid-60s to low 70s. While these numbers may seem high, the American Bar Association reports that 90% of homeless women have experienced physical or sexual assault at some point in their lives and that 39% of those experiencing domestic violence will also experience homelessness at some point in their lives. The difference in Bridge of Hope numbers may be related to comfort in self-reporting or how recently intimate violence was experienced in relation to homelessness.

The percentage of adults reporting a history of substance use/dependence has held fairly steady across years in the mid to upper teens after falling from the mid-20s in FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21. Substance dependence and homelessness can be considered both cause and consequence. Substance use may lead to job loss, relationship collapse and/or eviction. It may also serve as a coping mechanism in response to homelessness. As Bridge of Hope serves families who are currently free of substance use/dependence, those for whom substance use/dependence is an immediate factor in their homelessness are not eligible for services.

While Bridge of Hope also tracks data related to participant experience of abuse in childhood, far fewer than 80% of families provide information on their personal experience, so resulting data is not truly representative of all families served.

 

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