This weekend was a busy weekend for the news media as this week begins the National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week. The NY Times had an interesting article that is talking about the successes of "wet housing." It's difficult to imagine the challenges associated with severe alcohol addiction and the experiences of trauma these Vietnam vets experienced.
On the flip side, we have a story of young college grad who was homeless and "makes it." It's a story in the News and Observer. I believe it is true, resources that you have, ie., a college education, no addiction or mental illness, probably makes it easier for you to move out of homelessness. What would happen if the young man had been shipped off to Iraq or Afghanistan, had no high school education, with little access to mental health services? Maybe a different story?
Monday, November 12, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
The good news and the bad news.
Within the last few days, HUD announced a drop in the number of chronic homeless people. The success of 1) targeting the most at-risk folks who are the high-end users of all sorts of services, and 2) moving them into permanent housing seems to be working. CBS even picked up the story. That's the good news.
The bad news is that nearly a quarter of all those who are homeless are veterans. Notice that younger veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq are finding their way to shelters. The impact of PTSD is most likely going to result in mental health issues that incapacitate some of these young men. Unfortunately, the federal government is not doing much about this yet. I wonder who will create the safety net.
The bad news is that nearly a quarter of all those who are homeless are veterans. Notice that younger veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq are finding their way to shelters. The impact of PTSD is most likely going to result in mental health issues that incapacitate some of these young men. Unfortunately, the federal government is not doing much about this yet. I wonder who will create the safety net.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
The debate goes on....
The last couple of days, I've been involved in a debate about what should we be doing to deal with the homeless situation? Everyone agrees that it is problematic for people to be living on the street, but what is the most timely way in which to deal with it?
Some say, "Let's create more shelter beds so that people can have a place to sleep."
Others (myself included) argue, "We've been building emergency shelter for over 20 years and the real reason we turn people away each night is because there is no permanent housing for those who are currently staying in the shelters to go to. "
"But that takes too much time," argue those who want something to be done now.
What do we do? How do we build permanent supportive housing fast enough to really solve this problem? What do you think?
Some say, "Let's create more shelter beds so that people can have a place to sleep."
Others (myself included) argue, "We've been building emergency shelter for over 20 years and the real reason we turn people away each night is because there is no permanent housing for those who are currently staying in the shelters to go to. "
"But that takes too much time," argue those who want something to be done now.
What do we do? How do we build permanent supportive housing fast enough to really solve this problem? What do you think?
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