User:JAcevedo19/sandbox

Homelessness in Denver, Colorado (Denver Metro Area). The Homeless population in the Denver Metro area has been increasing rather than decreasing, the most recent cause for this increase, as of 2019, has been the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana. Even though, alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among homeless, marijuana is the second. Surveys have been conducted and prove that the homeless population increased by 670 from 2017 to 2018, Marijuana may have some beneficial properties for medical use, but when the users are roaming in the streets begging for money, it becomes a public concern. There is the Stout Street Health Center, which provides health care and mental health care within the same facility, this accommodates for a quick patient referral and medication, and also helps in controlling or reducing the exposure to public displays of disorderly conduct from homeless patients. Roaming Homeless individuals that are drug users pose a threat to their own health, health of others, and can potentially become a security risk, they engage in illicit economic activities in order to obtain and satisfy their substance dependency, therefore the increasing number of individuals falling in homelessness is alarming, particularly homeless youth that travel out of their home states, to end up been controlled by the abuse of substances, like marijuana, ultimately found in the

References

1. Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (Metro Denver Homeless Initiative website).

2. Kimberly, Thompson, Ferguson, Yoder, Deprince (2015). Risk Detection and Self-Protection Among Homeless Youth.

3. Miller, Julie. Behavioral Healthcare, (2014). ''Integrated facility offers seamless care to Denver's homeless: new facility merges primary care and behavioral health delivery. ''

4. Merscham, Carrie ; Van Leeuwen, James M. ; Mcguire, Megan, (2009), Vol.88. Mental health and substance abuse indicators among homeless youth in Denver, Colorado.

5. Van Leeuwen, James ; Hopfer, Christian ; Hooks, Sabrina ; White, Roxane ; Petersen, Jerene ; Pirkopf, John. ''Journal of Community Health, (2004), Vol.29. A Snapshot of Substance Abuse Among Homeless and Runaway Youth in Denver, Colorado''