Fifteen per cent of people treated for mental health disorders are homelessPrevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system.

Hwang, Stephen W MD, MPH (commentator)
Folsom, DP
Hawthorne, W
Lindamer, L
et al,

Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St Michael’s Hospital; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Folsom DP, Hawthorne W, Lindamer L, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162: 370–6.FolsomDPHawthorneWLindamerLet alPrevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system.Am J Psychiatry2005162370-6Q What is the prevalence of homelessness in people treated for mental health disorders?

For correspondence: Dr Folsom, Psychiatry Service (116A-1), VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92161, USA; [email protected]

Sources of funding: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grants, Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center.

Please seehttp://www.ebmentalhealth.com/supplemental for an additional commentary by Daniel W Bradford, Mimi M Kim, and Marian I Butterfield..

Evidence-Based Mental Health 8(4):p 118, November 2005.