While many believe that severe mental illness causes homelessness, this is somewhat of a misconception. The average rate of serious mental illness among the unhoused is 25-30%. While this is a notable increase from the US average of 5.6%, it still doesn’t account for the majority of those experiencing homelessness.

More commonly, those who are unhoused develop mental illnesses due to the conditions and experience of being unhoused. Stress, uncertainty, and threats to safety while experiencing homelessness often lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, psychosis, and substance use. In addition to this, traumatic brain injuries affect 50% of the unhoused and marginally housed population, which when compared to the less than 2% prevalence among their housed counterparts, shows a significant increase. Traumatic brain injuries, when left untreated, can lead to confusion, anxiety, aggression, impulsivity and lack of self control, memory loss, and difficulty communicating. Structural and social barriers to health care and other social services can lead to worse health outcomes, such as severe illness or death.

Research shows that stable housing can significantly decrease the severity in mental health conditions and symptoms, and is why addressing housing needs is essential in mental health treatment for the unhoused.

Trilogy’s mission is to enable people in mental health recovery to build meaningful and independent lives through comprehensive and integrated care.

We envision a society where everyone impacted by mental illness is valued, embraced, and supported holistically, systematically, and culturally; where the stigma of mental illness is eliminated; and where quality of care is not determined by socioeconomic status.

Trilogy joins Chi-Care Med on routes twice per month to assist in providing mental health support to the encampments we serve.

As summer approaches, we will see more of our unhoused clients out of shelters and on the streets. While the extremes of winter have passed, the extremes of summer are still on their way.

Essential items needed in the summer include backpacks, body wipes, underwear, and feminine hygiene products.

Along with these items, we distribute between 1,200 and 2,400 bottles of water per week in the summer, which adds up as the months go on, so we are always grateful for financial contributions to the mission.