Proud Griz Man said:
Not kissing off the problem or disagreeing with your entire message. What do we owe all of those people in downtown Salt Lake City or other big cities ? I think that there are some people that "expect" the government to take care of everything instead of taking personal responsibility.
Grizzoola said:
Proud Griz Man said:
I don't see why the Government is responsible for providing services to everyone for everything. Remember it is a democracy with life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Well, then, if you want to see this country become like India, etc., where beggary is honored, so be it. It's already happening. Witness downtown Salt Lake City & other big city downtowns, not to mention Missoula's. You like stepping over sleeping/passed out drunks, etc., to get to a business? Not a pretty sight. Look, I agree w/ "life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness," but to take this stance re: public social/mental health funding is kissing off the problem.
I have the distinct privilege of volunteering to help homeless is Portland. Every time I do I’m reminded that we are all a dumb decision away from being in those shoes (or sometimes lack there of). I know of a few with degrees and great backgrounds that had a really bad night, got drunk and tried a drug. Or they were prescribed opiates for an injury. Next thing they know they are in jail, fired from work, lost the house wife, and kids, then on the street. Granted it’s not a quick thing, but some people get horribly addicted with the first use. Then it’s over. I’ve worked with one guy who was a geotechnical engineer. Lost it all because the weed he smoked was laced with meth. Seriously, there, but for the grace of God, go I.
Mental health and drug addiction is the driving force behind homelessness. Countering it, is a limited and shrinking supply of volunteers, resources, and facilities. Addiction is not necessarily a moral failing. It, for a significant percentage of homeless and higher functioning addicts, is a disease. Neither is mental health. Often these two go hand in hand. As a result facilities won’t treat someone for schizophrenia because they are not clean, or another won’t treat ones drug addiction because they have schizophrenia.
The only way to really get ahead of this is to invest in treatment. Providing a home and treatment ends up costing the taxpayer far less than repeated trips to jail or the ER (http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/mar/12/shaun-donovan/hud-secretary-says-homeless-person-costs-taxpayers/). Using the sentiment that they should take care of themselves and pull themselves up by their bootstraps is naive at best. Many simply CANT. The less we invest in homeless services, the more we end up paying. In the study referenced above, communities pay $40,000 per homeless person in jail, ER visits, and other indirect costs (like extra security). For $16,200 a year, that same person can be housed, taken care of, have treatment, and can start moving towards being a productive member of society. Before people ask where we will get the money, I would remind them that we are already paying it. The investment in housing and mental health/addiction services would cut taxpayer costs in half.
Sometimes people say that having a heart is expensive. In this case, I would argue that it is cheap.