To report on a first study on the characteristics of people with schizophrenia and a history of homelessness in The Hague, Netherlands.

Parnassia Psychiatric Centre is the sole mental health service provider for The Hague. We screened all 2723 electronic records of schizophrenia spectrum disorders patients at Parnassia in a recent year. We identified 112 patients with a homelessness history in the prior two years. We collected one-year data from the Parnassia Case Register on service use and clinical variables. In standardized interviews, we assessed clinical, substance use and homelessness histories of participants.

The majority, 76% (N: 85) was contacted. Among those contacted, 14% was excluded and 14% refused to participate. We found no significant difference on service use, demographic and clinical characteristics for participants (N:60) and non-participants (N:52). The majority (88%) is male, 45% never married, mean age is 39 and 27% is foreign born. Mean education is 9 years. Prescribed medication history is high (87%), and 44% reports periods of 3 to 12 months and 32% reports periods of more than 12 months of lifetime homelessness. Lifelong substance use histories are high: 64% cocaine, 36% heroine, 25% amphetamine; 63% cannabis, 53% alcohol. Current use is considerable: 32% cocaine, 10% heroine, 15% amphetamine, 52% cannabis, 34% alcohol. The majority (76%) reports an incarceration history. They have a high HIV rate, 2 out of 32 tested (6.3%) were positive.

These individuals need specialized services to address their dual diagnoses, risk of homelessness, and prevent HIV and imprisonment.