We, as a society, can all admit one thing, we have a massive growing crisis in homelessness, specifically folks with major mental health issues. When I reference mental health issues here, I’m not talking about the folks who begged a doctor to be put on a pill, I’m talking specifically about the ones you see in bigger cities. More specifically the ones on the streets with no family/friends/support system in place.
A couple disclaimers here for the brainwashed on both the left and right.
I think we can all agree that the sanitariums were filled with horror and abuse while still recognizing the need for proper mental healthcare. Closing these hospitals to send folks to the streets was not humane or compassionate. I will add Reagan was likely not at his best when it came to this, but after seeing the photos, I do not blame him for shutting them down. (See also O’Connor v. Donaldson 1975—Editor)
In addition, when I suggest bringing back these sanitariums, they are not for the child with autism, or the guy with a Trump bumper sticker. I’m talking about the person who is an obvious threat to themselves or others.
To understand this problem fully, you must grasp what actually causes it. Mental health and drug/alcohol addiction are two of the biggest causes, understandable they are not mutually exclusive. The next two are exiting both the foster care system and prisons. Again, those are not mutually exclusive.
The mental health part is some people need real help, and their parents/family are tired of trying. They turn 18 and leave the house. The person does not seek treatment or keep with treatment leading to life on the streets. Drugs and alcohol, specifically dependance on both, are another leading cause. There is a reason marijuana was called a gateway drug by law enforcement, it leads to cocaine, meth, or other harder drug use. How many times have you been witness to a homeless person coked out of their mind on hard drugs/booze stumbling back and forth between the sidewalk and oncoming traffic or “acting the fool” as the kids say? They vandalize, defecate, urinate, destroy, and take over public areas and become a nuisance. Sadly, none of the above are enforceable/jailable offenses because we have decriminalized so much in this country. Prison is not the answer anyway, treatment is, but in states like California, unless it’s ordered by a judge, you can simply sign yourself out and away you go. Exiting prison and the foster care system again likely leads someone to unsavory things such as drugs and alcohol abuse. At 18, you are no longer a foster kid, and the government money quits coming in. For the incarcerated, they likely do not have family that want them around so to the streets you go. In both cases finding a roof over your head or employment will be hard. Again, you take up unsavory things and get hooked. Alcohol and drugs make you dependent, you lose the ability to function without them, then you seek out higher doses or newer, stronger euphoria’s.
Do not get me wrong, city leadership is also a massive contributor to the mental health/homeless crisis. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento to name a few in California, have embraced these types and allowed them to destroy the once proud cities they were. Try going to Golden Gate Park or Civic Center in San Francisco, you will find the world’s largest open air drug market stuffed with addicts hunched over on the sidewalk. Try coming to Sacramento and walking down K or L Streets just beyond the new basketball arena, and several blocks from the State Capital. You are taking your life into your hands at all hours of the day or night. It’s scary and not safe. Last week I was there, a mentally ill homeless person had a switchblade in his hands, crisscrossing between traffic threatening folks. Yup.
So how do we fix this you ask?
I think every hospital should be required to have a mental health and wellness floor. The Methodist (Dignity Health) hospital in south Sacramento does. I understand fully this would be funded by taxpayer dollars, in no way do I want to see government grow in size but realize this is the private sector with a small bit of government oversight. The hospital already has people capable of caring for these folks and they want to see the treatment through then discharge the person AT THE APPROPRIETE TIME! Take two and call me in the morning, or we held you for the 48 hours needed to satisfy the judge, hasn’t worked and doesn’t work. Time to try something else. I understand some people likely will never walk out, that is not necessarily a bad thing.
No more Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in this issue. This is nothing more than a grift for the local elected, their families, or relatives. Setting up tiny home communities seems like a good idea, but it is only giving the crackheads more blow. Ditto for “needle exchanges” and the like. These people just profited on the backs of those in the most need.
Put aside your political, religious and pre-existing beliefs about this issue. Trust me republican readers, there are folks with these issues in rural areas, they just get swept up and sent to the bigger cities since they “have the infrastructure to help them.” Trust me democrats you know the big cities are buying Grey Hound bus tickets to “pass them along” to other cities as well. Both sides get over yourselves. One can also be a compassionate Christian/religious while also agreeing some people are far too gone to be allowed to live in civilized society. What did you do for your aging parents/grandparents? When they could not drive anymore you became their ride, when unable to take care of themselves, they transitioned from their home to a senior living system. It’s not cruel, it’s a matter of life. At some point someone else may need to carry the proverbial cross. Just because this didn’t work 50 years ago doesn’t mean it cannot work now. Let’s try something slightly different, rather than a sanitarium, make it a floor in an actual hospital! That means oversight from hospital administrators and actual doctors, not a medieval dungeon type of place in a secluded, blighted part of town. Let’s try something out… maybe my idea is not adequate but at least it’s a plan.
The status quo is failing, and getting worse, some areas are becoming flat out not visitable in this country.
The Chief
PS: One last time for the folks on the far left/right who possess an IQ slightly above room temperature, this does not apply to the homeless person living in their car, the family of 4 living in a tiny home, the person with autism, or the guy with a MAGA hat on. It’s for the folks way too far gone for conventional treatment.