TOTALLY GEEKED!

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Dear Harriette: How Do i explain homelessness to my kids?

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Just because they are on the street begging doesn't automatically make them homeless.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Well, that's a good point too. Lots of scam artists.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I really don't see what is so hard about explaining things to kids?

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.

A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I have given money to the homeless on the street before. Even if they use it for drugs or alcohol, so what? Maybe it is the only respite from a miserable existence.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I have given money to the homeless on the street before. Even if they use it for drugs or alcohol, so what? Maybe it is the only respite from a miserable existence.

I am seriously torn on this issue. My cousin (she died of a heroin overdose and was homeless for awhile because my aunt justifiably kicked her out) would panhandle and I would be furious that people gave her money to shoot up. But if she didn't get the money she would commit a crime to get it. Which is worse? And she was in and out of treatment. But insurance only pays for you to be in so long and then you get kicked out even if your doc says you need to stay in. If you want a Medicaid treatment facility - good luck getting a spot. There is a wait list a mile long. You will probably overdose and die before the bed opens up to take you. Even if you want help and are ready to get treatment. "Come back in 2 years and we might have something for you" is what we were told. Or else she got was put on a waiting list and we never heard from the facility again because the list was years long.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I do believe we need better mental health. And, we should be able to Involuntarily commit addicts if they come into contact with the criminal justice system. You commit a crime, then you are going to straight into Lockdown treatment, period. Then, work them up for their crime. At least that period of time, they might have a chance.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I have given them food, water.

Dad will go cut up fallen trees near the homeless camps for them.

We give them blankets and things when we can.

For me, it wasn't about explaining why not to help.

Rather teaching how to help.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Each person needs to help in the way they feel comfortable. I don't like to give money to panhandlers b/c so many are scammers. I prefer to support the local food pantry and other helping charities rather than directly handing money to people standing on the street corner. And I am happy to have my children help in a soup kitchen, but I'm not going to put them in danger by taking them under the bridges.

Lindley · Guru

Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.

I agree with mm. A lot do deal with mental illness. When my dd lived in India she would give the beggars protein bars or some other kind of food for them since they have to give their money they collected to a person in charge. Watch slum dog millionare. That way she would know the child got to eat. Now when they see someone begging for money they would drive thru a mcdonalds or other fast food place and give them some food.

NAOW · Vette's SS

Lindley wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.
I agree with mm. A lot do deal with mental illness. When my dd lived in India she would give the beggars protein bars or some other kind of food for them since they have to give their money they collected to a person in charge. Watch slum dog millionare. That way she would know the child got to eat. Now when they see someone begging for money they would drive thru a mcdonalds or other fast food place and give them some food.

This is what I have done. When I was growing up there were always people begging outside of convenience stores and my step mom would invite them to come in with her and pick out something to eat.

Our city has cracked down on people begging so you don't see it too often, they encourage you instead to donate to the shelters and such.

ladyloonatic · Regular

Whether you give to the actual panhandlers or not, I think Harriette's advice was good.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

NAOW wrote:

This is what I have done. When I was growing up there were always people begging outside of convenience stores and my step mom would invite them to come in with her and pick out something to eat.
Our city has cracked down on people begging so you don't see it too often, they encourage you instead to donate to the shelters and such.

Ours too. Our police department recently put out a notice to be on the lookout for two guys in particular. Apparently they drive a very nice truck and live in an exceptionally nice home.

FNW · Guru

I've taken the boys to Union Station to see the homeless people camping out across the street (and inside, for that matter). I want them to appreciate the roof over their heads and clothes on their backs.

Whenever we pass someone sitting on a bench #2 will ask me if he is homeless. I explain that sometimes people just need to take a rest but they aren't necessarily homeless unless you see them with all their possessions in a bag. (We used to call them bag people but I guess that's no longer PC).

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do believe we need better mental health. And, we should be able to Involuntarily commit addicts if they come into contact with the criminal justice system. You commit a crime, then you are going to straight into Lockdown treatment, period. Then, work them up for their crime. At least that period of time, they might have a chance.

My cousin begged for just that. She wanted desperately to get treatment but after the insurance quit paying for it (30 days inpatient isn't enough for a heroin addict) there was no where for her to go. Once she went on Medicaid, there were even fewer places for her to go and she literally had to wait for people ahead of her to die so she could move up the list faster. She knew she needed long term care but couldn't get it - unless my family paid cash for it. It's tens of thousands of dollars - and my uncle paid once. He said it was her college fund that he realized she would never use unless she got clean. Unfortunately it takes a few trip to rehab for most addicts until they "get it".

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

And the truth MM is that most of the time they dump drug addicts in nursing homes for lack of a better place to put them. They take them off street drugs and replace them with prescription drugs and they're still addicted but just in a legal way. Then there's no place to put them to manage them so off to a nursing home they go where they do not belong.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
And the truth MM is that most of the time they dump drug addicts in nursing homes for lack of a better place to put them. They take them off street drugs and replace them with prescription drugs and they're still addicted but just in a legal way. Then there's no place to put them to manage them so off to a nursing home they go where they do not belong.

Yep. She was offered that once. My family was furious about it. She wasn't physically ill either so really it would have been a nightmare for the staff.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.

I know how the system works. ExDH #1 ended up on the streets and then living in a shelter. He had mental issues due to drug use. He could have gotten more help but refused it, just as these others due. Yeah I get they have issues. But I am not handing over cash. Your dollar or such could be that dollar that gets them their last hit they OD on.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.
I know how the system works. ExDH #1 ended up on the streets and then living in a shelter. He had mental issues due to drug use. He could have gotten more help but refused it, just as these others due. Yeah I get they have issues. But I am not handing over cash. Your dollar or such could be that dollar that gets them their last hit they OD on.

I agree about not giving them cash. But I don't agree that the help is just there waiting for people to take advantage of it. Quite the opposite actually. We begged people to take my cousin, no one had a bed. We begged them to keep her longer than 30 days, but they couldn't. I would have loved to have a situation where the help is out there but people refuse it. Not in any reality we lived in did that happen.

WYSIWYG · Guru

Just because they are on the street begging doesn't automatically make them homeless.
- I know what to do_sometimes

_______________________________

I agree. But I'd like to add that being homeless or on the street doesn't automatically mean being some kind of addict either, as it appears the letter writer assumes. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

WYSIWYG wrote:
Just because they are on the street begging doesn't automatically make them homeless.
- I know what to do_sometimes

_______________________________

I agree. But I'd like to add that being homeless or on the street doesn't automatically mean being some kind of addict either, as it appears the letter writer assumes. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

This is very true.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
WYSIWYG wrote:
Just because they are on the street begging doesn't automatically make them homeless.
- I know what to do_sometimes

_______________________________

I agree. But I'd like to add that being homeless or on the street doesn't automatically mean being some kind of addict either, as it appears the letter writer assumes. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.
This is very true.

I watched a show awhile back and it was about a large homeless population in LA. The people said they didn't want to get an apartment or get help. They liked living in tents in the woods.

huskerbb · Guru

Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.

It's amazing how people don't have money for rent or treatment--but they can always find money for drugs.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

And tattoos , beer, piercings and $65 Xbox games.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

And cigarrettes .

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

huskerbb wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.
It's amazing how people don't have money for rent or treatment--but they can always find money for drugs.

Rent and treatment require actual cash. Drugs can be bartered for. You can steal items to trade for drugs and you can allow your dealer to have sex with you for drugs. Doesn't work that way at the treatment center.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mellow Momma wrote:
huskerbb wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
DD and I had this exact conversation the other day. I explained to her about how the gov't helps people down on their luck and so if someone is panhandling there is something unsavory going on. I reminded her of all the food pantry drives she is involved with, things like that. She is well aware of the drug issues due to the heroin coverage and I also told her that those addicts can't hold a job most times and have to beg and steal to get their next fix.
A lot of homeless are mentally ill as well and there are just no facilities to treat them so they end up on the street. It isn't as simple as "if you are homeless, there is something unsavory going on because the government helps people". The fact is the system has failed the mentally ill on a catastrophic level. And if you don't have insurance for a fancy treatment facility, the system fails the addicts that want help as well.
It's amazing how people don't have money for rent or treatment--but they can always find money for drugs.

Rent and treatment require actual cash. Drugs can be bartered for. You can steal items to trade for drugs and you can allow your dealer to have sex with you for drugs. Doesn't work that way at the treatment center.

I agree with this. There is a movement near me, actually in Gloucester, ma. The Chief of Police started a new policy months ago to help combat opiate and heroin addiction. He said anyone who wants help can come to the police station, bring all their drugs and paraphernalia with them and they are guaranteed help, and just not that 30 day program. It has been quite successful; crime rate has fallen significantly in the past year too. It was a "watch list policy" for other cities in the area, and many are now adopting it.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

That is an amazing godsend for the people there. I bet he is inundated with people wanting to be in his program. Good for him for actually doing something about it.

-- Edited by Mellow Momma on Saturday 7th of November 2015 09:46:56 AM

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Mellow Momma wrote:
That is an amazing godsend for the people there. I bet he is inundated with people wanting to be in his program. Good for him for actually doing something about it.

-- Edited by Mellow Momma on Saturday 7th of November 2015 09:46:56 AM

He is a smart guy, tackling the cause, not the result. The results are amazing.