s is futile. It is sufficient to say that the condition of homelessness perpetuates itself without social intervention. Case management must be used to assess and follow up on clients who are dispossessed of their societal roots. Instead of looking to "cure" homelessness in general, the social worker must concentrate on individual cases.
As stated previously, providing for the physical needs of the homeless will not alone treat the "disease." In providing shelter, society is merely treating the symptoms of the illness, not the illness itself. To reiterate, social workers must examine the psycho-social patterns within the individual and his or her social network if intervention is to be effective. Most homeless people will not be so fortunate, but for those who voluntarily seek help and can get it, social benefits are possible. In the case of Troy, a gay teenager estranged from his family, a case management approach will be used to insure that need-fulfilling resources fit into a plan that is "congruent with the client's desires and lifestyle"
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