I've been reading a report put out by the Vancouver Police department about homelessness, mental health issues and addictions.
It's a vicious triumvirate that, when allowed to flourish, is almost impossible to escape from.
Back in the late 80's and through the 90's, the BC government decided to deinstitutionalize a few thousand people and shut down Riverview, an institution built in 1915 to house and care for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.
The plan was to create several smaller facilities.
Of course, that never happened.
The government quite literally released these troubled people out onto the street without first creating safety nets (or even shoring up the ones that existed) for those who would find themselves out in the wide world, some for the first time in their lives.
Having mental health issues, many of these people were unable to find or keep employment, leading them to dependence on that same government to aid them financially.
The welfare system allows people a monthly starvation payment of just over $800 a month these days; it's barely enough to secure a decent roof over ones head let alone pay for food and (often expensive) medications that so many of them need to remain stable.
Next stop on the way down the pit? Cheap housing. Where do you find that? Vancouver's Eastside, a notoriously evil neighbourhood that's more destitute and drug ridden than anywhere in North America.
It's where Willy Pickton hand-picked his multiple victims.
Next? Well, many people who are mentally ill often lack skills to make and maintain safe friendships, and often have strained relationships with their families due to the difficulty of caring for someone who may not be able to care back. It's a tremendous support system that most people take for granted and when it's not in place or available, has real ramifications on those that lack it.
So who comes to their 'aid' when these people end up in the wasteland of poverty and inadequate housing?
The predators. Drug dealers and pimps are very eager to make a quick buck off of people in such a vulnerable state. Many people who are seriously mentally ill find they are not able to afford their prescribed medications (or are simply not capable of continuing their treatment on their own) and turn to 'self-medicating' with (initially) cheaper street drugs and take comfort in the company of their new 'best friend'.
It's estimated that 50% of homeless people suffer from both mental health issues and drug addictions. Many facilities designed to assist those most in need refuse to aid them unless they are drug free.
Vicious, no?
I read somewhere that a society can be judged by how it treats it's weakest members.
If that is true, then it can be said that Canada is a deplorable country, allowing it's most vulnerable to perish in the streets, either by drugs, suicide or at the hands of predators.
14 comments:
Indeed. I think most western societies are deplorable in the way they treat their weakest members.
Of course, I'm in no position to have any opinion on how other cultures do.
I remember when Riverview closed. There was more fear than worry at the time. What a sad reflection that is.
They did the same thing here with pretty much the same result... it is frightening to see people begging in the streets of our affluent society. I'm always leery of politicians and administrators telling me that it is for the good of the patients or the good of the students when they close a service. They tell us that there will be support but lo and behold it never materializes. Being the cynic that I am, I think it is much more an exercise in cost cutting that an exercise in compassion for the little people, so the rich get richer and the people get screwed.
I've been watching the news stories about this with interest and disgust too. It makes me so mad and my heart hurts when I think of all those people who need help.
It's always the mentally ill who are the most vulnerable in this situation because when they are deinstutionalized no one ensures that they take their medication and so they relapse and can't cope.
Is it better that they are institutionalized or die on the streets? They definitely need community services but there are no easy answers.
It doesn't seem much different than the U.S. You could have changed some of the names of the places and it would be the same story.
With everything else Canada does and has done as a society compared to most other countries in the world--from a relatively wide social safety net to sending peacekeepers to world hot spots at a huge per capita rate--you shouldn't be too hard on yourselves. On the "take care of others" front, for all of its benefits and detriments, you're way ahead of just about everyone.
OK, maybe not Sweden.
-- david
You guys should draft them into the military or customer service industry. Put their natural deviance and substance addiction to good use for once. Also train them to wipe out the Jehovah's witnesses.
I agree with every word you wrote. Ironically, I have been commissioned to write the report/action plan on homelessness in the Comox Valley. As for your 50% mental illness/addiction, it comes in at about 80% for both Victoria and the Comox Valley.
I agree with david amulet, Canada is one of the leading lights in the world for social care and I refer also to the society as a whole. I can assure you things are far worse in Malaysia. Still, it is good that you raised this issue cause it can only help improve things and taking things for granted can only worsen things. From my travels, Canada is definitely better than most countries except perhaps the Scandinavian countries.
*sigh*
As someone who spent many, many years working with the weakest members of my society, I could comment forever here but I'd just be preaching to the choir. Instead, I'll leave it at *sigh*
All too sad and true.
Add single mother's that can't find decent daycare and are forced to either just take ANYONE to care for the kids or lose their jobs
Excellent post. I believe that a society is judged by how it treats its weakest members. We in North American do not have passing grades.
"Civilization. Ancient and wicked."
-Subitai
Move to the wilderness. Out here, there's no one to blame but yourself.
Post a Comment