We Help The Homeless Introductory Issue | Page 13

CONSIDER SOME HARSH REALITIES
Do you ever wonder about the sirens that blare through your neighborhood at
various times of the day and night? Have you ever wondered who is calling for
help, and what their emergency is?
Do you know how much it costs for one fire truck to be dispatched to a call that
is actually a mental health call?
Do you know how much it takes to manage the details of the death of a person
who was homeless, and living on the streets?
Do you know how many times a police officer, EMT or fireman are dispatched to
calls that could have been eliminated by an effective homeless program?
Are you aware of what happens behind the closed doors of the psychiatric ward
of your local hospital?
Do you know how many children and teenagers are admitted to your local
psychiatric ward?
Have you ever wondered about the quiet zone of your local hospital?
Have you spent any time in an overflowing emergency room?
Have you ever peered into the lives of those who pass through the swinging
doors of a medical emergency Room?
Are you familiar with the evaluation and intake process for a mental health
emergency?
We often hear about the financial costs associated with homelessness and
mental illness, but we don’t talk much about the suffering of those whose needs
are unmet for extended periods of time.

The question we need to ask again, is this...
What would you do if it happened to you???

Connie Spurlock, The Formerly Homeless Troubleshooter © 2014 All Rights Reserved wehelpthehomeless.com