Analysis Of John R. Belcher's Three Stages Of Homelessness

Another important aspect of supporting people out of homelessness is understanding what stage of homelessness the individual is in. John R Belcher, in “Three Stages of Homelessness: A Conceptual Model for Social Workers in Health Care” explains that there are three stages of homelessness: Marginal, recent and chronic (John R Belcher). Depending on the stage that an individual is in they have varying immediate needs. Ultimately the most vital part of security is reconnecting with society, but depending on which stage of homelessness a person is in different steps must be taken. The extent to which the social worker must support this depends on the stage of homelessness. As people move further into being homeless they become more hopeless, skeptical

The psychological rehabilitation of homelessness is just as important as the economic. Homelessness has severe psychological impacts. Research shows that much of homeless prevention is supporting individuals to find a sense of esteem, community and sufficiency (John R Belcher, Belcher, John R. and Bruce R. Deforge). The longer an individual is homeless the more estranged they feel from society. Part of recovery is reconnecting to an identity that is more than the status they held as homeless (Novak, David R. and Lynn M. Harter). It is finding new ways to define themselves, provide for themselves and release themselves from the expectations of society. But the individual must be supported in shifting how they view themself by society shifting how they view homelessness. One of the key aspects to helping people who are homeless is creating systems that encourage equality and connection, dispelling social stigma and create acceptance. Research shows that exposure to homeless people actually increases sympathy, allowing them to be viewed as people rather than a problem hidden by society. According to "Social Stigma and Homelessness: The Limits of Social Change.", the more exposure people have to homeless the more they hold positive attitudes towards homeless and view homelessness as a structural dilemma rather than personal fault (Belcher, John R. and Bruce R. Deforge).

But, whether homelessness is of personal or environmental factors, it still provides a unique opportunity to grow compassion, examine the constructs of society and potential change larger social stigmas that limit connection and equality. When society assigns stigma to a certain population, the stigmatized internalizes the messages they receive about themselves resulting in self-stigma. When the individual believes that they are bad, dangerous, lazy, they often unconsciously behave in a manner that perpetuates theses beliefs (Belcher, John R. and Bruce R. Deforge). Currently, many people want to solve homelessness, but for their own benefit. Laws that criminalize homeless get put in place in hopes that the problem will disappear is people can’t stand in the public eye. But once an individual has a criminal record it becomes that much harder to get a job, often forcing individuals to turn to illegal ways of making money and actualizing the stereotypes of homeless individuals (The National Coalition for the Homeless). Because homelessness results in a lose of social status, individuals must rely on those in power to advocate for them, but because of the construct of society these people are focused on their own agenda and needs (Belcher, John R. and Bruce R. Deforge). The programs provided often lead to further stigmatization,