The number of deaths among NYC's homeless decreased from
approximately 190 in 2010 to 120 in 2011, reported by the
Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Seth
Diamond at a City Council hearing yesterday.
City Council renewed and made permanent legislation
requiring quarterly reports on the number of homeless
deaths. These reports have helped tremendously because
be learning about the deaths, the DHS can better target
prevention initiatives.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among
the homeless, but it also a leading cause of death in the
city as a whole. DHS now requires its shelters and non
profit contractors tomeet healthier nutritional guidelines.
A leading cause of death for homeless children is improper
sleeping arrangements in shelters. DHS educates parents
in shelters and inspects sleeping arrangements for them.
Here are some excerpts from the latest homeless death data:
62% non-sheltered
38% sheltered
57% occurred in hospitals
17% outdoors
5% in homeless shelters
21% in other locations
81% male
19% female
38% Brooklyn
33% Bronx
21% Manhattan
5% Queens
2% Staten Island
Sheila McKinney
