We've been doing this for quite some time here in Nashville and Helen Pace, over at Traveler's Aid, can definitely attest to this fact.
Folks around these parts may also recall a brief collaborative effort between the Nashville Homeless Power Project, Metro PD and the Downtown Partnership to assist folks who wanted to go elsewhere - and who had family "elsewhere" that would provide initial support so we weren't sending Nashville's homeless to another city - but that ended rather quickly due to concerns about implementation and the potential for abuse.
Local advocates now continue with the old "tried and true" method of simply sending folks over to Helen, who then verifies that they have both a place and a person to go to someplace else, and, funds permitting, they are on the road home with a bag lunch from the local mission for the ride.
I recognize the issues with this, especially when local police get involved, as it can be an ugly coercive tool for cops to intimidate and force removal of a segment of the community population they see as "undesirable" or somehow nefarious or criminal.
It's why it's important to have a third party as the screening/verifying agency. That independent organization or agency can make sure that the person is leaving of their own volition, verify that the person does indeed have someone waiting for him/her at the end of the line, and can also provide some travel support; clean clothes, food, and services/contacts in the new location.
Homeless advocates say homeless reunification is possible
 | Reported by: Gina Mangieri Email: gmangieri@khon2.com Last Update: 6/28 7:11 pm |
