ABSTRACT
In 1999, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (2000) estimated that 700,000 people in the United States experience homelessness on any given night of the year, and up to 2 million people experience homeless ness during a I-year period. Of these numbers, the National Law Center (2000) reports that 25 to 30% are mentally disabled, 30% are veterans, and 40% are drug or alcohol dependent. Given these numbers, it is estimated that the number of homeless people who are challenged with drug-or alcohol-dependency in this country is about 300,000 people. Although the demographics of the homeless population are diverse, research indicates that the homeless person is likely to be between the ages of 31 and 50, African American, and male, even though homeless families that are headed by single mothers are among the fastest-growing segment of the population (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2000).
