OPINION: I have experience with alcoholism in my family and I sold psychotropic medication for five years to psychiatrists for bipolar, OCD, Depression, and ADHD. I have been a Board Member of NAMI-Eastside.
It is evident alcohol use will never be totally eradicated from Tent City even with the "zero tolerance" Code of Conduct policy. Under the Share/Wheel nonprofit policy, residents are "disbarred" by their own members (escorted out of camp by their peers to a bus stop) when caught drinking in camp.
TC4 evictions for alcohol and disorderly conduct are enacted by tent city residents, staff, and parishioners; that's the **policy. During eviction, the police department is rarely, if ever, called to assess the evictee for health & safety needs, counseling, escort, or even incarceration. I strongly encourage and recommend a policy where the police be called during evictions so professional , objective assessment can be taken. Yes, police intervention may cost taxpayers more money short term, but it is safer for citizens, more humane for the afflicted and probably more cost effective long term.
About 23% of tent city homeless (NAMI) are afflicted with a serious mental illness and likely need medical attention, medication adjustments, and social support. NAMI-Eastside and the Hero House members (for social/vocational rehabilitation) should have greater awareness and presence in Camp.
Safety & health assessments during evictions, ideally, should not be the responsibility of Tent City resident peers. Peer support should be primarily dedicated to spiritual, caring, and informational needs. Phone communications are an option for follow-up by a resident or neighbor who cares. Upon entering TC ("the Hilton) and departing, some Tent City evictees need to "bottom out" from alcohol and they often need medical attention and psycho-pharmaceuticals. **Alcohol and other drugs are commonly used to "self-medicate depression, mania, and other mental illnesses.
My brother died from the isolation of co-occurring mood disorder & alcoholism. He was isolated in an apartment, unemployed, miserable from brain damage associated with medication dis-continuance. He could no longer cope. One day he stopped his medication and died. Had Rick not been isolated he might still be living. Thus, my recommendation for the humanity, kinship, and social support of a Hero House and a Tent City.
One final thought before listing support services. Why couldn't Alcoholic Anonymous conduct meetings at TC4 encampments? (Update: 7/1/12: They started AA meetings in 2011 - including road signage on 166th). Progress in attending to TC resident mental health-care needs probably will not occur until Share/Wheel and host facilities take mental illness and substance abuse out of their closet. ShareWheel's FEAR that permits will be denied when admitting a high presence of mentally ill is unfounded.
Precedent has been set over and over for TC permit approvals. Community tent cities are here to stay - with or without community awareness of the high incidence of mental illness.
ShareWheel and host facilities should no longer feel a need to "shelter" the mentally ill from neighborhoods and their chance for better health.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***SHARE/WHEEL - Operator and Manager of Tent Cities of Puget Sound
Call 206-448-7889 [ask for AA, Hero House, and peer support]
Website: http://anitraweb.org/homelessness/faqs/tentcities.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HERO HOUSE - psychiatric and vocational rehabilitation and support. 9-5PM. computers for job hunting and training. subsidized lunch. van pick-up. must apply with proof of diagnosis. confidentiality secured. CALL: 425-614-1282. 14230 NE 21st Street, Bellevue, WA. 98007. http://herohouse.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A.A. - Bellevue - 1299 - 156th Ave. NE. #160. CALL: 425-454-9192. http://alcoholics-anonymous.org/
It is evident alcohol use will never be totally eradicated from Tent City even with the "zero tolerance" Code of Conduct policy. Under the Share/Wheel nonprofit policy, residents are "disbarred" by their own members (escorted out of camp by their peers to a bus stop) when caught drinking in camp.
TC4 evictions for alcohol and disorderly conduct are enacted by tent city residents, staff, and parishioners; that's the **policy. During eviction, the police department is rarely, if ever, called to assess the evictee for health & safety needs, counseling, escort, or even incarceration. I strongly encourage and recommend a policy where the police be called during evictions so professional , objective assessment can be taken. Yes, police intervention may cost taxpayers more money short term, but it is safer for citizens, more humane for the afflicted and probably more cost effective long term.
About 23% of tent city homeless (NAMI) are afflicted with a serious mental illness and likely need medical attention, medication adjustments, and social support. NAMI-Eastside and the Hero House members (for social/vocational rehabilitation) should have greater awareness and presence in Camp.
Safety & health assessments during evictions, ideally, should not be the responsibility of Tent City resident peers. Peer support should be primarily dedicated to spiritual, caring, and informational needs. Phone communications are an option for follow-up by a resident or neighbor who cares. Upon entering TC ("the Hilton) and departing, some Tent City evictees need to "bottom out" from alcohol and they often need medical attention and psycho-pharmaceuticals. **Alcohol and other drugs are commonly used to "self-medicate depression, mania, and other mental illnesses.
My brother died from the isolation of co-occurring mood disorder & alcoholism. He was isolated in an apartment, unemployed, miserable from brain damage associated with medication dis-continuance. He could no longer cope. One day he stopped his medication and died. Had Rick not been isolated he might still be living. Thus, my recommendation for the humanity, kinship, and social support of a Hero House and a Tent City.
One final thought before listing support services. Why couldn't Alcoholic Anonymous conduct meetings at TC4 encampments? (Update: 7/1/12: They started AA meetings in 2011 - including road signage on 166th). Progress in attending to TC resident mental health-care needs probably will not occur until Share/Wheel and host facilities take mental illness and substance abuse out of their closet. ShareWheel's FEAR that permits will be denied when admitting a high presence of mentally ill is unfounded.
Precedent has been set over and over for TC permit approvals. Community tent cities are here to stay - with or without community awareness of the high incidence of mental illness.
ShareWheel and host facilities should no longer feel a need to "shelter" the mentally ill from neighborhoods and their chance for better health.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***SHARE/WHEEL - Operator and Manager of Tent Cities of Puget Sound
Call 206-448-7889 [ask for AA, Hero House, and peer support]
Website: http://anitraweb.org/homelessness/faqs/tentcities.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HERO HOUSE - psychiatric and vocational rehabilitation and support. 9-5PM. computers for job hunting and training. subsidized lunch. van pick-up. must apply with proof of diagnosis. confidentiality secured. CALL: 425-614-1282. 14230 NE 21st Street, Bellevue, WA. 98007. http://herohouse.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A.A. - Bellevue - 1299 - 156th Ave. NE. #160. CALL: 425-454-9192. http://alcoholics-anonymous.org/
