Each year the Maricopa County Medical Examiner releases a report on deaths in the Valley.
A section of the report is dedicated to the Valley’s homeless populations and shows deaths are rising.
Last year, there were 732 deaths from those experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County, a 42% increase from the year prior. The Medical Examiner's report notes that natural deaths that occur in the care of a healthcare provider are not counted by their office.
Three in four homeless deaths in the Valley are ruled accidental, which is a 45% increase from last year.
Recorded natural deaths and homicides are both up over 35% since last year. Suicides are rising slower, up 15%. Deaths ruled undetermined were up eight percent.
When comparing the deaths of those experiencing homelessness to all cases recorded by the Medical Examiner’s Office there are far more cases determined as accidental.
78% of deaths in the homeless community recorded by the Examiner’s office were ruled accidental compared to 54% of all other cases. It is the only category where the manner of death ratio is higher in homeless populations compared to all cases.
What is also clear, most deaths in the homeless community are drug-related. 63% of investigated deaths were drug-related.
23% were heat-related deaths and 18% were a combination of both. Compared to all Medical Examiner investigated cases drug-related deaths from methamphetamines are much higher in homeless populations, 80% compared to 57%. Fentanyl deaths are also higher, 66% to 60%.
The report does note trends are changing with Fentanyl deaths increasing 71% in a year and Methamphetamine deaths increasing 45% in homeless populations.
