Characteristics and risk behaviors of homeless black men seeking services from the Community Homeless Assistance Plan--Dade County, Florida, August 1991.

The number of homeless persons in the United States has been estimated to range from 600,000 to 3 million (Dr. Barbara Cohen, The Urban Institute, personal communication, 1991), with higher concentrations of these persons in several large urban centers. Because of the circumstances of homelessness, neither the health status nor the public health needs of these persons are well defined. In Dade County (which includes incorporated Miami), Florida (1990 population: 1.9 million), the average daily number of persons who are homeless is estimated to be 6000; during a 1-year period, approximately 10,000 persons are homeless at some time (Dr. Andrew Cherry, Barry University, Miami, personal communication, 1991). This report presents findings from a survey conducted in August 1991 to assess the health risks of homeless persons in Dade County seeking services from the Community Homeless Assistance Plan (CHAP), a pilot case-management project that places homeless persons into housing, jobs, and appropriate social services.