Yes, I agree that the response from the city agencies, the questions, and the whole process lacks any semblance of humanness. What are these people thinking? One sees what a person needs, and one then should act accordingly. The whole approach is based on such a process as to focus exclusively on civil rights, the need to consent, or participate, as if a drowning person needs to provide proof of their drowning. These situations are very much medical emergencies, much like a heart attack or stroke, or broken hip, or lacerated head bleeding profusely. Even in this case, where a person is begging for help, it is looked upon suspiciously. Cripes, let's get these people to a hospital immediately, and then we can look at matter in a more thoroughly and thoughtful way. These cases should have about 3 police officers and a couple EMT's to make sure that combative individuals or others don't get injured because sometimes they don't go smoothly. These cases require an immediate response, like a heart attack, because sometimes they end in fatalities related to undiagnosed medical conditions, or extreme stress, or exposure. The city is clearly failing here to address issues with the severely mentally ill homeless. It is really emblematic of a more general tendency to stigmatize and isolate and ignore mental health in general, both within the medical profession, and oddly, even within the mental health community.
So where will we put the druggies under "civil commitment"? Maybe we can soak up some of the unused rooms in downtown hotels; I'm sure the Ritz will cut a deal.
Ofr course, once upon a time we had many SSRO hotel in Portland--they got demolished to create our mini-New York downtown. There are a few multinational developers who might be paid to recreate that market at about $500,000 a unit, profits guaranteed.
It's fantastic that Mr. Perkins was willing to stay with helping the guy through all the bureacratic hoops.
I see the larger systemic issue as more of a national systemic one that especially involves health care funding. Until then it's a matter of finding practical ways to tweak and manage city/county responses as opposed to condemning procedures outright and complaining about taxes. Now the pendulum is swinging away from maximum mercy and back to more balanced perspectives, some of those regulations and procedures can be modified to be more effective.
Speaking of city / county, I suspect responsibilities get tangled up between the two entities. This is absolutely not to say we should "get rid of" the county (unless the idea gets explored for at least ten years.) So the public needs to be able to distinguish the City's main functions from the County's with regard to behavioral health, and strengthen their capacities appropropriately.
(Sorry for being so abstract. Appreciate everyone who's willing to do the deep dives: they are complicated and difficult.)
Does anyone know what the Portland Street Response actually does? Has anyone ever successfully called to request their services and been met with anything other than slow response (if they show up) and the handing out of water bottles? Surely the money we are pumping into that failed program would be better utilized in other areas at this point.
Yes, I agree that the response from the city agencies, the questions, and the whole process lacks any semblance of humanness. What are these people thinking? One sees what a person needs, and one then should act accordingly. The whole approach is based on such a process as to focus exclusively on civil rights, the need to consent, or participate, as if a drowning person needs to provide proof of their drowning. These situations are very much medical emergencies, much like a heart attack or stroke, or broken hip, or lacerated head bleeding profusely. Even in this case, where a person is begging for help, it is looked upon suspiciously. Cripes, let's get these people to a hospital immediately, and then we can look at matter in a more thoroughly and thoughtful way. These cases should have about 3 police officers and a couple EMT's to make sure that combative individuals or others don't get injured because sometimes they don't go smoothly. These cases require an immediate response, like a heart attack, because sometimes they end in fatalities related to undiagnosed medical conditions, or extreme stress, or exposure. The city is clearly failing here to address issues with the severely mentally ill homeless. It is really emblematic of a more general tendency to stigmatize and isolate and ignore mental health in general, both within the medical profession, and oddly, even within the mental health community.
When do taxpayers get to say "enough"?
When Jessica Vega Pederson slinks back to her lair and Julia Brim Edwards learns to stay in her lane.
To her lair in the West Hills . . .
When the streets are safe, civil and beautiful once again.
So where will we put the druggies under "civil commitment"? Maybe we can soak up some of the unused rooms in downtown hotels; I'm sure the Ritz will cut a deal.
Ofr course, once upon a time we had many SSRO hotel in Portland--they got demolished to create our mini-New York downtown. There are a few multinational developers who might be paid to recreate that market at about $500,000 a unit, profits guaranteed.
It's fantastic that Mr. Perkins was willing to stay with helping the guy through all the bureacratic hoops.
I see the larger systemic issue as more of a national systemic one that especially involves health care funding. Until then it's a matter of finding practical ways to tweak and manage city/county responses as opposed to condemning procedures outright and complaining about taxes. Now the pendulum is swinging away from maximum mercy and back to more balanced perspectives, some of those regulations and procedures can be modified to be more effective.
Speaking of city / county, I suspect responsibilities get tangled up between the two entities. This is absolutely not to say we should "get rid of" the county (unless the idea gets explored for at least ten years.) So the public needs to be able to distinguish the City's main functions from the County's with regard to behavioral health, and strengthen their capacities appropropriately.
(Sorry for being so abstract. Appreciate everyone who's willing to do the deep dives: they are complicated and difficult.)
Does anyone know what the Portland Street Response actually does? Has anyone ever successfully called to request their services and been met with anything other than slow response (if they show up) and the handing out of water bottles? Surely the money we are pumping into that failed program would be better utilized in other areas at this point.