Part of the problem is that the first group, untreated, can turn into the second group. Which is why early intervention and support are so important, and a lot cheaper.
When it gets bad, it can take a long time for a policy change to really start working. :(
It would be interesting to see the conversion rate there.
From what I’ve seen from addiction and severe mental illness (wife was an addiction counselor and I’ve volunteered at the local shelter), when they become homeless they’re past the point where a simple hand up will help. At that point they’ve typically burned all of their bridges and have effectively zero trust from their previous support network.
Most of them would greatly benefit from an inpatient facility. Thanks Reagan.
Yeah. What’s worse, is that you can see how it would play out. Suppose, for instance, that we had a wildly successful public program that “solved” homelessness. Imagine that it’s wildly cheaper than the current system! People experiencing housing insecurity get rapid intervention, which prevents a big backlog of people with mental illness on the streets.
Then, give it 20 years. Suddenly, we’re spending all this money on these moochers, giving them “free” housing and treatment. MILLIONS of TAXPAYER DOLLARS being spent!!!1! on these LAYABOUTS who REFUSE TO WORK! Funding is cut.
A few years after that… East Hastings Street is an open-air drug market again and people are afraid to walk down it, and now we’re spending ten times as much money on medical care, property protection, and police clearings. A ton of people who would have been productive citizens, now in a death spiral. So, not paying taxes. =p
Part of the problem is that the first group, untreated, can turn into the second group. Which is why early intervention and support are so important, and a lot cheaper.
When it gets bad, it can take a long time for a policy change to really start working. :(
It would be interesting to see the conversion rate there.
From what I’ve seen from addiction and severe mental illness (wife was an addiction counselor and I’ve volunteered at the local shelter), when they become homeless they’re past the point where a simple hand up will help. At that point they’ve typically burned all of their bridges and have effectively zero trust from their previous support network.
Most of them would greatly benefit from an inpatient facility. Thanks Reagan.
Yeah. What’s worse, is that you can see how it would play out. Suppose, for instance, that we had a wildly successful public program that “solved” homelessness. Imagine that it’s wildly cheaper than the current system! People experiencing housing insecurity get rapid intervention, which prevents a big backlog of people with mental illness on the streets.
Then, give it 20 years. Suddenly, we’re spending all this money on these moochers, giving them “free” housing and treatment. MILLIONS of TAXPAYER DOLLARS being spent!!!1! on these LAYABOUTS who REFUSE TO WORK! Funding is cut.
A few years after that… East Hastings Street is an open-air drug market again and people are afraid to walk down it, and now we’re spending ten times as much money on medical care, property protection, and police clearings. A ton of people who would have been productive citizens, now in a death spiral. So, not paying taxes. =p