ALL people experiencing homelessness have experienced significant trauma in their lives—because homelessness itself is deeply traumatic. But prior trauma contributes to homelessness— whether by immediate causality (e.g. fleeing domestic violence) or cascading effects from earlier in life (e.g. injury or poor health leading to instability).

One important, research-based measurement for childhood health is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). ACEs are metrics of trauma and toxic stress, categorized into three groups: abuse, neglect, and household challenges.

“As ACEs accumulate, there is an increased likelihood of struggling with adult homelessness. It is important to note that a gradient can be observed, there is an almost directly proportional risk of experiencing homelessness as an adult as the number of ACEs increase. Children that experience six or more ACEs experience homelessness at a rate of 24%.” (The Project on Family Homelessness, Seattle University)

Trauma is also experienced as the personal and communal impact of white supremacy and racism. “The disproportionate numbers of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and other people of color] experiencing homelessness can be directly tied to a history of racially motivated housing and other policies that continue to this day. In a 2020 report by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), Black individuals comprise 23.5% of the population experiencing homelessness despite being only 5.3% of the general population in Metro Denver. Native Americans comprise 4.9% of the homeless population despite being less than 1% of Denver’s population.” (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)

ALL people experiencing homelessness have experienced significant trauma in their lives—because homelessness itself is deeply traumatic. But prior trauma contributes to homelessness— whether by immediate causality (e.g. fleeing domestic violence) or cascading effects from earlier in life (e.g. injury or poor health leading to instability).

One important, research-based measurement for childhood health is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). ACEs are metrics of trauma and toxic stress, categorized into three groups: abuse, neglect, and household challenges.

“As ACEs accumulate, there is an increased likelihood of struggling with adult homelessness. It is important to note that a gradient can be observed, there is an almost directly proportional risk of experiencing homelessness as an adult as the number of ACEs increase. Children that experience six or more ACEs experience homelessness at a rate of 24%.” (The Project on Family Homelessness, Seattle University)

Trauma is also experienced as the personal and communal impact of white supremacy and racism. “The disproportionate numbers of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and other people of color] experiencing homelessness can be directly tied to a history of racially motivated housing and other policies that continue to this day. In a 2020 report by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), Black individuals comprise 23.5% of the population experiencing homelessness despite being only 5.3% of the general population in Metro Denver. Native Americans comprise 4.9% of the homeless population despite being less than 1% of Denver’s population.” (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)

During the pandemic the number of newly homeless in the Denver metro area has risen 99%. (Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, 2022) The pandemic multiplied the factors of trauma, instability, and economic stress for a great many people experiencing homelessness. For instance, lockdowns exacerbated dangers for people living in situations of domestic violence. Many were unable to work, or access community resources such as addiction or mental health treatment. Many impacts continue as the pandemic wears on.