Homelessness isn’t just a crisis, it’s a failure of community. If we want real solutions, we need to stop isolating people and start rebuilding the connections that help people thrive. The cycles of homelessness, poverty, incarceration, and addiction in this country have become too routine. The connection between substance use and homelessness is real and must be addressed.
It is estimated that more than 770,000 people experienced homelessness last year. This is a staggering number and one that cannot be turned around until we truly examine the root causes of the challenges people experiencing homelessness face.
The reality is that the larger population of people experiencing homelessness experience significant trauma after even just one night on the street. There are people who have elected to utilize substances to stay awake so they can avoid violence, who have succumbed to the pressure of the sex trades for survival, who are numbing themselves from the realities of their life.
I have spent a great deal of time with this population, and I can tell you the hard truth is that most of them have experienced significant childhood trauma, and many did not have access to the necessary resources to deal with it. Many, but not all, have made choices along their journey that they are not proud of and would take back if they could.
These regrettable decisions do not and should never ultimately define them. I have met many people who have successfully exited homelessness, addiction, and cycles of incarceration. What they needed was a disruption of their behavior. They needed to find structure and accountability and embed themselves in community. It was the structure of a community that helped them break the cycle.
That’s why at Pallet Shelter we offer more than just a roof—we provide an immediate and supportive community that fosters connection, stability, and growth. In our villages, individuals aren’t left to navigate their struggles alone. They find themselves surrounded by peers who share similar experiences, providing a sense of community that is vital to overcoming the isolation of homelessness.
An original investigation published in the February issue of the Journal of American Medical Association in February, titled Illicit Substance Use and Treatment Access Among Adults Experiencing Homelessness, helped establish this connection between substance abuse, a lack of treatment and ongoing homelessness. From October 2021 through November 2022, the study followed more than 3,000 adults experiencing homelessness in California.
According to the multi-staged probability-based survey, 37% of those surveyed reported using any illicit substance regularly. Of those who reported regular use, an estimated 21% wanted, but were unable, to receive treatment, and approximately 20% of participants reported a nonfatal overdose and 25% reported being in possession of naloxone. These findings make clear that substance use and a lack of community treatment options is an ongoing struggle among those experiencing homelessness.
Let me be clear – I am not suggesting that all people experiencing homelessness are addicts, because that is not true. However, it is a known, hard truth that many people who are unhoused end up utilizing substances for the reasons listed above. That substance use tends to bring other issues and challenges, often creating more and more barriers to housing and progress. Without a place to stabilize and start assessing next steps, these struggles can be and often feel insurmountable. Worse yet, in many cases, offering someone with untreated mental health challenges or unaddressed substance use disorder keys to an apartment can be a death sentence.
Pallet is helping to make important progress on this front. Later this spring, the City of Albuquerque will officially open Gateway Recovery, a new program designed to provide stability, therapy, and community for individuals overcoming addiction. This will be the first recovery-based site using Pallet shelters. This site of 46 shelters will offer private and secure spaces where residents can focus on their recovery. The community includes access to therapy, meal services, laundry facilities, and a community garden to support long-term stability. The Gateway Recovery site is a prime example of Pallet’s mission to help build communities, not just structures, to support those working to end their cycle of homelessness.
Providing people the stability and connections they need before placing them into an isolating environment is far more successful than what we’ve been doing for the last two decades. We need more services more than we need more housing. We need more treatment beds, more sober transitional housing, and more detox facilities. People can’t get or stay healthy without accountability, structure, and support. We are in a medical crisis – let’s start acting like it! Triage, treat, and rehabilitate.
Amy King is the Founder and CEO of Pallet, a public benefit corporation working to end unsheltered homelessness and give people a fair chance at employment.
Read Full Article »