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How substance use disorders impact homelessness – and can make it harder for people to get housing

Not every person who is unsheltered is an addict — but the numbers are higher than anyone would like.

This is a difficult part of the equation, and Kate Chandler sees the impact of substance use on the people living in “The Zone” everyday in her work. 

Chandler is a behavioral health consultant and licensed clinical social worker with Circle the City, which provides health care to people who are experiencing homelessness here. She told The Show that mental health problems often collide with substance use when for people who are living on the street. 

More stories about homelessness from The Show

Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.