Integrating Treatment for Vulnerable Populations
The homelessness crisis is being driven by unmanaged mental illness and addiction and exacerbated by failed government-led Housing First policies. Chronically homeless and unsheltered people need more than a subsidized apartment—they need intensive treatment and care to rebuild their lives.
States should support the most vulnerable homeless Americans on the road to recovery by intervening in times of crisis and dedicating resources to treatment.
Resources
Involuntary Civil Commitment
Untreated mental illness affects 24 percent of the unsheltered population, creating a significant barrier to recovery. Yet, restrictions on civil commitment procedures prevent caring individuals from sounding the alarm when a person needs help.
By expanding and reforming involuntary civil commitment laws, states can provide more effective interventions that promote a flourishing life. However, we can only treat those in crisis when we have the capacity to do so.
The United States lags behind other developed nations when it comes to bed space in mental health treatment facilities, but states can close the gap by increasing bed availability at inpatient psychiatric facilities.
Resources
Homeless Diversion Programs
While incarceration remains a necessary tool for punishment for certain criminals, many people experiencing homelessness find themselves in jails or prisons simply because states have few, if any, options for addressing their unique, high-level needs.
Unfortunately, incarceration often increases the odds that a homeless individual returns to the streets. Homeless diversion programs would change that.
Similar to drug courts, homeless diversion programs would allow judges to redirect qualified homeless individuals to treatment and other necessary services without relying solely on traditional criminal justice sanctions. States could offer effective solutions, with measurable outcomes, to those who would benefit most from them while still holding dangerous or repeat criminals accountable.