[Barbara Butch]

Originally Posted by hepkatmama

mental illness is a huge part of it. i wrote a college essay about how the cost of psychotropic maintenance drugs is a factor in causing homelessness.

i understand where you are coming from.

my first job in high school was interning at social security in the summer. i cleaned out files that hadn't been active in over 7 years. most of these ppl were mentally ill and eligible for ssi money but couldn't keep an address to receive their check. most of the files i 'cleaned' were homeless ppl that couldn't be found. it was a depressing thing to realize for a 16 year old.

especially when my boss told me that the feds quit paying the bill for lifetime institionalizations (staying in the hospital for good). so when benefits ran out in the 80's, many funny farm patients were dropped off at the greyhound station closest to where they came from (sometimes decades later). it is no accident that bus stations have lots of mentally ill hanging out.

but where I'm coming from now, i write grants for homeless shelters on a regular basis and understand how life skills training (hygeine, job skills, etc) are as important as learning to live on a budget.

have you ever known a friend to become homeless? cause you will have all new perspective the first time one of your party buddies comes up to you on the street panhandling & you know by the smell & blanked out expression that it isn't a joke.

& i understand now as a grown up that we all have to take responsibility for ourselves. if we really want them to do better we have to get them to take care of themselves not learn who to ask for change.

i'm thinking long term. but i think big.

i know mental illness is an issue. but its going to take an overhaul of the health care system to really take care of those people. until then they are going to sleep in shelters & jails during bad weather & camp in the trinity forest the rest of the time.

You speak the truth!