The homeless mentally ill have few resources available. There are only 157 shelter beds countywide that target the homeless mentally ill, which represents an unmet need of 92 percent. The homeless mentally ill are extremely impoverished. They typically are unable to work and are not connected to entitlement programs. The San Diego Homeless Demonstration Project, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, found that only 30 percent of the clients received SSI, yet all were eligible because of their severe mental illness.
Studies point to almost a fifth of homeless mentally ill persons as having no income.
The homeless mentally ill need services such as outreach, medication, case management, representative payee, specialized crisis services, and often, substance abuse treatment. In the area of housing, the mentally ill often need case management in order to succeed. Although the County of San Diego has a wide array of services targeting this population, there is inadequate funding of mental health services by the State of California. Types of Severe Mental Illness Homeless individuals with mental illness suffer primarily from schizophrenia, major depression, or bi-polar disorder. These illnesses differ in their causes, course, and treatment.