A Last Resort Option Being Taken Away from the Homeless
As a resident in the Pacific
Northwest, one is familiar with homeless people throughout the state. Many
reason and circumstances can make someone become homeless. However, a lesser
known reason is that many homeless people suffer from mental illness. “According
to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of
the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe
mental illness”. This puts into the perspective that homeless people is a
vulnerable population that does requires assistance.
Meanwhile,
a town named Bournemouth located in the United Kingdom not only didn’t provide
assistance, but shunned the homeless population. The town’s council
collectively decided to install metal bars in the middle of public benches so
that during the day, visitors can sit to take rest but at night, prevent
homeless people whom have nowhere to turn sleep on the bench. Granted, benches
is not a solution to the homeless crisis, but it at least allows them to have a
bench as an option to sleep on rather than the cold, water running street. However,
depriving homeless people of the option as a last resort to sleep on a bench
during cold winter nights is called by some “inhumane”. Therefore, in the town
of Bournemouth, some have taken the action of taking the bar off using power
tools themselves. Meanwhile, others in Bournemouth and those far away can write
to the town’s council to express one’s opinion on the matter, as a council’s
answers to its people and are willing to take suggestions from those outside.
In addition, many have stated that the money spent on the bar should be spend
giving to shelter programs so that the homeless can actually be homed install
of sleeping on the bench. Below is the link to express just that as well as
other suggestions:
Furthermore, more productive approaches to the homeless
crisis happening in Bournemouth could more investment be made into homeless
shelters and programs to help feed and home the homeless. Furthermore, programs
to help the homeless back on their feet such as creating resume, job
applications and interviews.
Such programs that is funded in the United States are below:
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