In Nashville, I know that at least one of the judges who adjudicates many of the cases involving persons experiencing homelessness in the city has complained publicly about his inability to hold "offenders" long enough to detox them enough to allow them to begin seriously contemplating treatment options. Some city officials have attempted to dialogue with advocates and treatment providers the idea of mandatory detox, extending sentences, involuntary commitments to drug and alcohol treatment facilities and other approaches that might force a person to remain in some sort of custody that would allow a period of sobriety long enough for an individual to begin thinking clearly and rationally again.
Problem is - outside of the clear civil rights violations involved - no one really seems to know just how long that might be. Given that the vast majority of us in active addiction decide ourselves when that will be, it's hard to believe that extending a sentence for a week or ten is going to make much difference. We all know too that treatment programs are worthless if the person undergoing treatment is not interested in remaining clean and/or sober once they leave the facility.
Counselors I've spoken with over the years also don't agree on how much time is needed before the effects of sustained drug/alcohol use fade enough for someone to truly be thinking unimpaired by the substances. I've heard lengths from 30 days to nine months, with just about every option within this range talked about as well.
Mandatory detox will only be "the answer" if the person undergoing it is really done with his/her party period.
If he/she is not, then you're simply wasting time, space and money trying to use what might be best described as a sort of treatment "gunbarrel diplomacy" to cure a disease.....
September 25, 2010 Saturday
1 - Edition
Address homelessness Mandatory detoxification could be the answer
BYLINE: Emily Macdonald
MANDATORY detoxification and a temporary accommodation centre with access to support services are the next step to fixing the city's homelessness problem according to Cr Dale Last who has urged State Government to bite the bullet and commit to a long term solution to the escalating issue.
The vocal anti-homelessness advocate said while the ramping up of community patrols, announced this week, was a positive development, it was imperative a definitive plan was put into action at next month's stakeholder meeting.
He also said he didn't see the value in conducting a census of the homeless people as they were already well known to the police and intervention organisations who dealt with them.
``How many times do we need to go down there and identify who these people are and what their particular circumstances are?'' Cr Last said.
``We know there is a core group that frequents the inner city area. We know the issues associated with that group such as public disorder and frequent anti-social behaviour.
``While the increase of patrols and intense case management is part of the solution, we need to go past that.
``At the end of the day, we need to realise there are a group of people who live in our parks and choose to do so of their own free will so the decisions we need to make are hard and tough decisions.''
Cr Last said with Townsville's homelessness problem among the worst in the state, it was time to commit financially rather than just reassessing the resources already in place.
``If we continue to skirt around these issues and try to find solutions within existing resources, then there's a real possibility we will still be in the same situation in 12 months' time.
``I know the State Government is looking at mandatory detox and I think that is the path we need to go down for these people who refuse offers of assistance and the support services they are being offered.
``It's about identifying the initiatives or proposals which are most likely to work and if these initiatives cost money, then so be it and it then behoves all levels of government to find that money.''
Earlier this week at a meeting of homelessness intervention stakeholders, Red Cross Heading Home program's Dale Preston said she worked with people who had been on the streets for years and long term programs were the only way to rehabilitate some people.
She said Red Cross had some heart warming success stories with 10 people housed in temporary accommodation in the past 11 months including one woman, who is about to be placed in permanent accommodation, who had been homeless for 16 years.
``When you're talking about people on the streets for 16 years there are no quick fixes,'' she said.
