Your August 1st article, “Thousands of Homeless Sleep on NYC Streets, Here’s Why They Don’t Have To,” underscores the need for those at the city and state level to come together and reenvision the city’s single homeless services system. It also pinpoints the components of a policy strategy that should be employed to address the long time reality of homeless adults choosing the streets over their unique right to shelter.
As your article mentions, one component of a viable policy solution is addressing the mental health and substance abuse prevalent in single homeless adults. Discussions during a May 2015 roundtable with First Lady Chirlane McCray and shelter providers regarding specialized shelters for those with mental health issues and a higher level of violence are a good starting point (See May 19th Services for the Underserved press release.) Also promising is the training of five to ten thousand NYPD officers to deal with emotionally disturbed persons who are often those living on the streets.
