Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Homeless Alcoholics Receive a Permanent Place to Live, and Drink

pan6467 · 07-06-2006, 08:06 PM

Ugh......

This is very sad but what the country unfortunately is coming to.

I work in a detox unit. One of the finest public facilities like it in the country. And these facilities are very much a dying breed.

In my field (Chemical Dependancy Counselling), the true money is in the justice system and NOT in treatment and that is where everyone is going. Places like mine are a dying breed, counselors like me (those who REFUSE to work in the CJ field) are a breed that is being killed off.

Places like the OP are just the beginning. There will be a time when the states, cities and feds realize it is just cheaper to let addicts and alcoholics have their drugs and give them their own communities with minimal hospital care and that will be that.

It is far cheaper to do that than to put them in jails, feed them, give them free medical, send them to treatment centers and pay for them just to see them out on the streets again going through the system over and over... (and yes that is what is happening). These are the leeches (people who have no desire to truly overcome their addictions, they just use and abuse the system, and giving it a bad name), who have destroyed the system so that the people who truly want and need help can't get it because the beds are filled, insurances won't cover or communities tired of the abuses and couldn't pay for the services anymore.

I have heard through collegues and several people close to the situation, there maybe, in a certain desert state legislation similar to the OP.

What the plan is, is to build a city in the desert, miles from anywhere, and ship drug addicts and alcoholics there. Once there they would have access to drugs, alcohol, housing and voluntary treatment, all paid for by the tax dollars. The rub being that if they leave the community, they are considered "criminals" and if caught would face prison time.

In some ways that maybe good for society, in others it would be Hell..... hopefully there is nothing to this but it has been going around for awhile and the whispers are getting to a nice conversation level.

I think this is only the beginning sign of things to come.

PS:.......... there is also a very strong argument that once you "give" these people a start (such as housing, food, etc. however minmal) that the drive to better themselves will kick in, use will go down and they will become productive citizens...... it's a good argument, but I am unsure of what to think about it, I think I would have to see results first.

07-06-2006, 08:06 PM	#13 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	Ugh...... This is very sad but what the country unfortunately is coming to. I work in a detox unit. One of the finest public facilities like it in the country. And these facilities are very much a dying breed. In my field (Chemical Dependancy Counselling), the true money is in the justice system and NOT in treatment and that is where everyone is going. Places like mine are a dying breed, counselors like me (those who REFUSE to work in the CJ field) are a breed that is being killed off. Places like the OP are just the beginning. There will be a time when the states, cities and feds realize it is just cheaper to let addicts and alcoholics have their drugs and give them their own communities with minimal hospital care and that will be that. It is far cheaper to do that than to put them in jails, feed them, give them free medical, send them to treatment centers and pay for them just to see them out on the streets again going through the system over and over... (and yes that is what is happening). These are the leeches (people who have no desire to truly overcome their addictions, they just use and abuse the system, and giving it a bad name), who have destroyed the system so that the people who truly want and need help can't get it because the beds are filled, insurances won't cover or communities tired of the abuses and couldn't pay for the services anymore. I have heard through collegues and several people close to the situation, there maybe, in a certain desert state legislation similar to the OP. What the plan is, is to build a city in the desert, miles from anywhere, and ship drug addicts and alcoholics there. Once there they would have access to drugs, alcohol, housing and voluntary treatment, all paid for by the tax dollars. The rub being that if they leave the community, they are considered "criminals" and if caught would face prison time. In some ways that maybe good for society, in others it would be Hell..... hopefully there is nothing to this but it has been going around for awhile and the whispers are getting to a nice conversation level. I think this is only the beginning sign of things to come. PS:.......... there is also a very strong argument that once you "give" these people a start (such as housing, food, etc. however minmal) that the drive to better themselves will kick in, use will go down and they will become productive citizens...... it's a good argument, but I am unsure of what to think about it, I think I would have to see results first. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?" Last edited by pan6467; 07-06-2006 at 08:11 PM..