In a survey of almost 400 homeless living in Montgomery County conducted last week, 43 percent were considered “medically vulnerable.”
That was one of the takeaways from the joint survey conducted by the county Department of Health and Human Services and the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless.
More than 400 homeless people were asked to take a survey, and 369 responded, giving a picture of the issues the homeless in Montgomery County face.
Among the more striking findings was that 26 percent of the homeless survey said they had been the victim of a violent attack while homeless. The 369 homeless individuals reported a total of 677 hospitalizations in the past year, and 23 percent are characterized as “tri-morbid,” meaning they have a mental health diagnosis, a physical health condition, and had an active history of substance abuse. In that group, the average time they have been homeless is six years.
Three hundred volunteers conducted the survey as part of the 100,000 HOMES Campaign. The homeless surveyed were found on the streets, in emergency shelters, in hospitals and in jails. Of the respondents, 271 were male, 32 were under 25 years old, and 31 said they were veterans.
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