Homless Video

[_Markk]

Sorry for the quality. Trump was in town, and the streets were a mess in that they closed some main streets off.

Turn the volume up and stick it out to the end... there is a pretty telling "occurrence" at the end of the video that will blow your mind and shows how messed up it is in the streets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE46a0zTui8

EA...this video isn't even a little bit of what it is like down here. How can anyone make sure these folks are cared for on the streets and make sure that they take their meds?

[_EAllusion]

It's like you think I've never seen a homeless person before. You don't need to film homeless people without their permission with personal disgust to let people know that homelessness exists. We know.

How can anyone make sure these folks are cared for on the streets and make sure that they take their meds?

First, I think you may have missed when I discussed how homelessness has multiple, interrelated causes. When I referred to med admin, I was giving an example of a type of service that either as a stand-alone or as part of a bigger suite of services, can help some people who are homeless maintain stable housing.

In another thread, you were focusing mightily on what you perceived to be my lack of "real-world" experience. Now you've picked a topic that is directly in my wheel-house - something you have no experience in - and are just mocking examples of actual interventions that I personally have overseen working. So much for the value of real-world experience. It is the case that some people who are transient are able to get their affairs in better order if someone provides them with access to proper psychotropic medication and monitoring on administration. This doesn't fix homelessness all by itself, if only because lack of access to psychotropics is not everyone's problem, but it is part of the story. I used it as a single example of a type of service that can be beneficial.

To your question, it feels like you are baffled by the idea of social services existing. What do you find so hard to believe about a homeless person being receptive to people trying to help them? Case Management is an actual job involving years of education and professional development that does leave people fairly skilled at helping persuade people into receiving services that may assist them.

Here is a recent report from my area on the state of homelessness at that time. It has a decent run-down of what a case manager might do for a person if they enter a shelter.

assessment of issues presented by the family;
development of a service plan to address barriers to stable housing;
referral for services;
substance abuse services;
mental health and dual diagnosis services;
on-site medical services, child care and special activities, legal assistance, employment assistance, adult
education/training, and recreation;
access to on-site food pantry;
assistance with transportation;
tenant education workshops;
financial assistance to help pay application fees and security deposits; and
referral to transitional or permanent affordable housing

(I think someone like me is buried in the cryptic "referral for services...")

Believe it or not, doing things like this does help reduce the population of homeless. And if people equipped to do this are overworked or funding has run out, then help is being left on the table. I contend that it is often cheaper to do because of the cost-savings of diverting people from the hospital and criminal justice systems even if you overlook the human cost.

[_Jersey Girl]

How can anyone make sure these folks are cared for on the streets and make sure that they take their meds?

Markkkk making sure they take their meds is like the tip of the iceberg. There needs to be comprehensive re-entry program in place.

[_MeDotOrg]

Has anyone studied how the length of time someone has been homeless and the strategies to get them out of being homeless? It would seem to me that the strategy necessary to get someone newly homeless back in housing would be different than the strategy for someone who had been homeless for a long time. As Jersey Girl said, meds are only the first step, especially for someone who has either lost touch with or never had the skills necessary to get out of the homeless cycle.

[_Markk]

How can anyone make sure these folks are cared for on the streets and make sure that they take their meds?

Markkkk making sure they take their meds is like the tip of the iceberg. There needs to be comprehensive re-entry program in place.

I agree to a degree, but where and how. So many of these people are gone beyond real help. When you drive by these folks, many are talking away to no one...look closely at the video at about 3:25...there is a guy just having a conversation with the wall and dancing. There are hundreds if not thousands like this in this area. I see them every morning when I drive through. Sometimes they just walk down the middle of the street oblivious to traffic and life in general.

There are programs, there are people that will help, the issue is that it is beyond out of hand.

Here is a interesting article

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-m ... story.html

I am going to try to figure out how to hide my camera, and walk a few of these areas and talk with some of these folks and try to show you how it is up close...it would help anyone that has not seen it up close understand just how out of control it is.

[_EAllusion]

That article argues, persuasively, that the particularly bad homeless problem in the LA-area is caused by a dual combination of lack of affordable housing and poor services for the homeless driven by bad approaches from local politicians.

I am going to try to figure out how to hide my camera, and walk a few of these areas and talk with some of these folks and try to show you how it is up close...

Markk, people know what homelessness is like. You don't need to video document it to convince people on a message board. Secretly videotaping homeless people and disparaging their condition is not the most ethical choice in the world. You shouldn't do it.

there is a guy just having a conversation with the wall and dancing

That person isn't necessarily beyond help.

[_Xenophon]

Has anyone studied how the length of time someone has been homeless and the strategies to get them out of being homeless? It would seem to me that the strategy necessary to get someone newly homeless back in housing would be different than the strategy for someone who had been homeless for a long time. As Jersey Girl said, meds are only the first step, especially for someone who has either lost touch with or never had the skills necessary to get out of the homeless cycle.

To just briefly touch on your question here, MeDotOrg. Yes. HUD specifically differentiates between the homeless and the chronically homeless (HUD Flowchart, PDF warning) starting back in 2015 or so (this is when I became aware of it anyways). I don't claim to be an expert but I am heavily involved in my local community on this topic, I use my particular work skill set to help the organizers, charities and government officials more effectively execute their plans. I'd start here: this is a document from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness that puts together some high level steps with tools/guides to get a community started on solving (again, pdf warning). I also know that EA has shared some information on currently working strategies that shouldn't be discarded.

[_Markk]

It's like you think I've never seen a homeless person before. You don't need to film homeless people without their permission with personal disgust to let people know that homelessness exists. We know.

How can anyone make sure these folks are cared for on the streets and make sure that they take their meds?

First, I think you may have missed when I discussed how homelessness has multiple, interrelated causes. When I referred to med admin, I was giving an example of a type of service that either as a stand-alone or as part of a bigger suite of services, can help some people who are homeless maintain stable housing.

In another thread, you were focusing mightily on what you perceived to be my lack of "real-world" experience. Now you've picked a topic that is directly in my wheel-house - something you have no experience in - and are just mocking examples of actual interventions that I personally have overseen working. So much for the value of real-world experience. It is the case that some people who are transient are able to get their affairs in better order if someone provides them with access to proper psychotropic medication and monitoring on administration. This doesn't fix homelessness all by itself, if only because lack of access to psychotropics is not everyone's problem, but it is part of the story. I used it as a single example of a type of service that can be beneficial.

To your question, it feels like you are baffled by the idea of social services existing. What do you find so hard to believe about a homeless person being receptive to people trying to help them? Case Management is an actual job involving years of education and professional development that does leave people fairly skilled at helping persuade people into receiving services that may assist them.

Here is a recent report from my area on the state of homelessness at that time. It has a decent run-down of what a case manager might do for a person if they enter a shelter.

assessment of issues presented by the family;
development of a service plan to address barriers to stable housing;
referral for services;
substance abuse services;
mental health and dual diagnosis services;
on-site medical services, child care and special activities, legal assistance, employment assistance, adult
education/training, and recreation;
access to on-site food pantry;
assistance with transportation;
tenant education workshops;
financial assistance to help pay application fees and security deposits; and
referral to transitional or permanent affordable housing

(I think someone like me is buried in the cryptic "referral for services...")

Believe it or not, doing things like this does help reduce the population of homeless. And if people equipped to do this are overworked or funding has run out, then help is being left on the table. I contend that it is often cheaper to do because of the cost-savings of diverting people from the hospital and criminal justice systems even if you overlook the human cost.

You have no idea how bad it is. You have no idea what So CA is turning into. Your asking why we do not get resumes and references from illegal immigrants sealed that deal for me.

Disgust is a mixed word...I am discussed by the mess that we have. It disgusts me that they masturbate, rape, and poop and pee on city sidewalks in front of businesses and school buses. It rips my heart out when I see a heroin addict with their kids on the street. It disgusts me when dealing with the homeless people that can help them selves piss it away on drugs and alcohol...or just flat out laziness.

You are proving again you have no idea what I am saying...LA (so ca) has all those "services" and it is not helping at all, homlessness is growing at a rate they can't even
begin to keep up with.

I never said people arn't receptive..."To your question, it feels like you are baffled by the idea of social services existing. What do you find so hard to believe about a homeless person being receptive to people trying to help them?"

My point is it has grown to a point that these services are not keeping up, and more to my point there are so many that are too far gone for the types of help you insist on...they need to be in place where they can have 24 hour help, or they will just wander the streets.

You live in a "paper world"...which is imaginary EA, that is why I asked you some of the personal questions you would not answer.

EA wrote...Believe it or not, doing things like this does help reduce the population of homeless. And if people equipped to do this are overworked or funding has run out, then help is being left on the table. I contend that it is often cheaper to do because of the cost-savings of diverting people from the hospital and criminal justice systems even if you overlook the human cost.

LA and So Ca. has all those and a much larger budget...why has homelessness grown at least 75% in the past 5 years or so?

Your basically talking about programs that help those down on their luck, or minor drug and alcohol problems that can be reversed. Or most importantly people that want to help themselves.

[_ajax18]

We officially have a homeless man living under the side of our optical building. We had the office manager tell him to be gone come 9am each morning. He was scaring off my patients. I'm just glad he hasn't set up a tent. I live in the south but it was still cold at night this past week.

[_Hawkeye]

Markk, people know what homelessness is like. You don't need to video document it to convince people on a message board. Secretly videotaping homeless people and disparaging their condition is not the most ethical choice in the world. You shouldn't do it.

Exactly my thoughts. I remember back in 2004 when four hurricanes hit Florida in September. I remember driving through neighborhoods and filming the devastation. It didn't even dawn on me how humiliating this was to the victims until one man screamed at me to stop filming as he was crying about having lost his home and car. I was an idiot then, and Markk is acting like one now.