This post was originally published last January,
but I think it is worth a repost!

This is a debate that will go on and on and on because homelessness may never TOTALLY end.  But, as I was reading a blog post on Chang.org’s Poverty in America section, I noticed a good analogy on how we could go about starting to end homelessness.

This blog author, Eric Sheptock, is speaking about ending homelessness in Washington, D.C., and brings up the point that “[Mayor] Fenty focused on housing only the most vulnerable homeless – those who might die if not housed soon. As noble and necessary as this might seem to be, it meant that the more capable homeless who needed the least help in order to become self-sufficient were being ignored and allowed to stagnate in the shelter system.” His analogy to go along with this is that of a leaky pipe.  The first thing you do is not mop the floor or try to fill the crack.  The first thing you do is shut off the water!

When put in perspective with homelessness prevention and ending homelessness, the right way to stop the leak is to help house the more capable homeless.  Housing, first, the homeless who may just need a temporary but stable place to live in order clean up and get a new job.  Or, focusing on the increasing number of homeless families which has become a large part of the homeless population.

There are many tools that can help to stop the leak of capable people becoming homeless.  Tools such as employment training, affordable housing, and case management are a few of the things that HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program provides.

You can help support our program by spreading awareness about the need for these options to be sustained or by making a simple $25 donation to HIP and helping us reach our goal of $10K by March 10.

This blog author, Eric Sheptock, is speaking about ending homelessness in Washington, D.C., and brings up the point that “[Mayor] Fenty focused on housing only the most vulnerable homeless – those who might die if not housed soon. As noble and necessary as this might seem to be, it meant that the more capable homeless who needed the least help in order to become self-sufficient were being ignored and allowed to stagnate in the shelter system.” His analogy to go along with this is that of a leaky pipe.  The first thing you do is not mop the floor or try to fill the crack.  The first thing you do is shut off the water!

When put in perspective with homelessness prevention and ending homelessness, the right way to stop the leak is to help house the more capable homeless.  Housing, first, the homeless who may just need a temporary but stable place to live in order clean up and get a new job.  Or, focusing on the increasing number of homeless families which has become a large part of the homeless population.

There are many tools that can help to stop the leak of capable people becoming homeless.  Tools such as employment training, affordable housing, and case management are a few of the things that HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program provides.  Help support our program by spreading awareness about the need for these options to be sustained or by making a simple $25 donation to HIP.

What if you said you couldn’t help someone get rid of their headache because you didn’t have any aspirin? You feel bad for a little bit because you couldn’t help someone in need, but it is just a headache.  They’ll survive.

What if you said you couldn’t shelter someone from the rain or the snow or a thunderstorm because there was no place for them to go?

Cindy Maple, the Executive Director of Hospitality House in Western Nevada,  wrote an article in The Union expressing these exact sentiments.

“I was working in a job where I was supposed to help people and I had nothing I could offer.” -Cindy Maple

The lack of resources for the homeless is present throughout the entire nation.  There are many organizations that work to help the homeless, but it is hard to get anywhere because the amount of affordable housing is stagnant and is becoming less available with the increasing amount of homeless persons we have seen.

Indianapolis’ Blueprint to End Homelessness has gotten our community on the right track.  The amount of affordable housing has increased in the past 5 years. HOWEVER, the amount of supportive housing has increased at a much, much lower level.  Supportive housing is affordable housing plus services that help those who need health care, mental health care, employment training, and more.

You can help provide more resources to the homeless organizations right here in Indianapolis.  Help by raising awareness about the lack of resources, or directly GIVE A CARE by donating to HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program.

Housing First is an approach that kind of flip flops the logical way of thinking.  Many of us think that in order to obtain a home, one should 1) be sober, 2) have a steady paying job, and 3) be in a stable state of mental health.  However, in order to serve the homeless who suffer from the lack of one or multiple things listed above, caregivers need to have a place to find these people and offer a sense of stability.

In 2003, the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) rolled out the Blueprint to End Homelessness,  a ten year strategy to “ increase supportive housing, expand prevention services, and move the focus from emergency responses to lasting solutions.”  This strategy takes the right steps in focusing on getting the homeless housed FIRST and then providing the services as a complement.

From the CHIP website -

“[Housing First]  promotes the idea, supported by leading researchers, that housing is essential for people experiencing homelessness to attain stability and should not be used as a reward for achieving stability.”

Indianapolis has been meeting the Blueprint’s goals in terms of affordable housing; however, in terms of supportive housing, we are lacking.  Supportive housing, according to the Blueprint, includes “case management and a variety of temporary or ongoing social and other services to ensure that people residing in those units live as independently as possible and can sustain their housing.”

HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) works closely with homeless persons to find affordable housing.  Our program also offers case management, employment classes and workshops, and health care.  SUPPORTIVE HOUSING is possible.  And with your help, it can have a greater impact on our community.

• Spread the word about homelessness prevention.
• Donate here because  $25 can provide a homeless citizen bus fare to get to and from work until they receive their first paycheck.