Innovative solutions to end homelessness
Posts tagged homelessness
Labeling People as Homeless Strips Individuals and Families of True Identity
Aug 10th
I can remember the first time I was introduced to People First Language. I was at a mental health conference when a panelist described our state legislature as schizophrenic. A gentleman that I did not know at the time stepped up to the microphone in the audience and stated rather firmly that the characterization was offensive. No, it wasn’t one of our esteemed state legislators!
This man, who is now a friend of mine, stated that he had schizophrenia himself. He went on to explain how using a condition or disability as the primary way of identifying a person or group of people is extremely harmful. He did not want to be labeled a schizophrenic, as if his condition summed up all that he was. He is a man that lives with schizophrenia, but his disability does not define him.
It was an important moment for me, and I try diligently to focus on people – not conditions – in my speech, both professionally and personally.
Words matter. The way that we construct language has an effect on how we see and understand the world. Focusing on one’s condition or circumstances increases the likelihood that the listener identifies the person or people as More >
An Amazing Transformation
Sep 13th
This post was originally written for Poverty Insights by Mattie Lord of UMOM New Day Centers. Mattie is also a Project Coordinator for Project H3: Home, Health, Hope; of which HOM, Inc. is a proud partner.
While sitting at a stop sign, minding my own business, two men drove by and flipped me off. I have no idea why – I did nothing to them. Perhaps they passed judgment based on my appearance, my car, or perhaps my “Life is good” bumper sticker. It reminded me of how often people experiencing homelessness are judged and misjudged – how frequently others make assumptions and draw conclusions without knowing anything about them. We expect it from people who just don’t understand the issues or the population, but it is surprisingly common even within the human services arena. Too often, our most vulnerable – those most in need of help – are overlooked or discounted by homeless service providers.
Meet Mark. Mark is a sixty-one year old man who lived on the streets for the past thirty years, half of his life. He has been well-known to service providers, outreach teams, and law enforcement in Phoenix, Arizona for his drunken and belligerent behavior. For years, he More >
Ending Homelessness with Scattered Sites Housing
Jun 17th
This post was originally written for Poverty Insights on April 7, 2010
Permanent Supportive Housing: Scattered Sites Model
There seems to be an increased interest in addressing homelessness in the Phoenix metropolitan area. I’m not certain what to attribute this phenomenon to; whether inspirational leadership, increased capacity in the non-profit housing and service provider industry, favorable policies emerging from the public sector, or a heightened awareness resulting from increased media coverage of our current economic climate. Rather than speculate on the reasons for the heightened attention, we need to harness the momentum and act swiftly.
We all know that housing is the solution to homelessness. More specifically, permanent supportive housing ends homelessness. So how do we capitalize on the current interest in homelessness and create permanent supportive housing options in our communities? I believe we need to invest in tenant-based, scattered sites supportive housing, which is the most effective way to rapidly re-house individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
For 16 years the organization I run, HOM, Inc., has administered scattered sites supportive housing programs targeted to individuals with serious mental illness exiting homelessness in Phoenix and its surrounding communities. Our housing programs provide permanent supportive housing to approximately 1,100 households per month. From this perspective, I More >
