By Rick Reutter Santa Monica
Dr. David Sirkin’s letter of Dec. 1 (“A helpful plan for the homeless,” page 4) quite eloquently sums up what could be done to resolve the issue of homelessness in this country. Unfortunately, a number of homeless people themselves have certain issues they are unwilling to address. For example, among some homeless people discussion of mental illness is off-limits as is the issue of drinking alcoholic beverages or the use of other substances. Indeed, there exists a rather sizable proportion of homeless people who seek to distance themselves from other homeless people who they refer to as the “crazies” or the “drunks.” I suspect that those that pursue that strategy believe that the others among them who are psychologically disturbed or substance dependent are less deserving of assistance. This is not a helpful attitude.
And Dr. Sirkin is quite correct in his observation that his proposed interventions will not be cheap. It will require, at the very least, an expansion of the number of qualified and committed social service workers in every category as well as the expansion shelters, clinics and transitional housing facilities. Many homeless people, quite simply, exhibit what social service workers refer to as “problems with living,” which include overt psychological disturbances and substance dependence as well as marked difficulties with interpersonal communication and relationships and problems dealing with the various agencies in the social service network. Such people will need assistance and mentoring in order that they may make a successful transition from the streets to permanent housing.
Dr. Sirkin is right on target with his proposals. That is indeed how it should be.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 6, 2006. Read the original PDF.