“the very structure of opportunities has collapsed. Both the correct statement of the problem and the range of possible solutions require us to consider the economic and political institutions of the society, and not merely the personal situation and character of a scatter of individuals.” (Mills, C.W, 1959, p. 9) This quote is in regards to unemployment
Intro Paragraph
- Briefly explain Mills concept of private troubles and public issues
- Introduce the issue of homelessness in US.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development reported 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness in January of 2022.
First Paragraph
- Acknowledge homelessness is a multifaceted issue regarding how one becomes homeless. Private troubles can be neglecting mental health, choosing to use substances, criminal activity that can stain record for employment. Public issues are obstacles in society can be housing costs, unemployment rate, lack of resources for mental health.
Second Paragraph
- The interconnections between personal choice and societal factors.
Third Paragraph
- As important as it is to Zoom in on an issue such as homelessness to understand why someone is in this situation, it is equally important to zoom out on the societal issues to understand how this issue can improve.
- As social workers, understanding the private and public issues allows us to treat the private issues within a welfare system (if at an agency)
