Homeless Death Report

This article contains very important information. It points out very serious weaknesses in our local healthcare and mental health systems. I truly hope the individuals that that have the capabilities to look at the breakdown in intra-agency communication, will look at this problem. It not only is a detriment to those needing the assistance provided by these agencies, it has been a death sentence for many.
Had this breakdown in communication been addressed, it is possible that my brother, as well as many others, might still be alive today.
As always, thank you for caring Isabelle!

Is this report online? I looked but couldn't sort through the Public Health department website.

Let me make this very simple for you... The more people you have living somewhere, the more people you will eventually have dying there too. Congratulations Santa Barbara on attracting massive numbers of both living and dying homeless people. This report would only be useful if it was presented as a ratio of deaths-to-total-homeless, then compared to other cities.

Our family has lived here since 1977. Is that long enough to be considered from Santa Barbara? My brother ended up homeless here through tragic circumstances, as I am sure most others have as well. I doubt most people would say, "Hey I think I will be homeless and go live in Santa Barbara!" It is continually written the homeless come here but most I know of have been here longer than a lot of people that consider themselves from SB.
Also, this article talked about a serious breakdown of services. Hopefully the point will not be missed.
I despise being hateful in comments but would LogicCannon have been happier if my homeless brother from SB died somewhere else? I am greatful that he was here and I was able to love him until the end.

Hey JenniferinSB!

That's my plan for a RETIREMENT, leave the East Coast with the tens of thousands of others and come to California, esp. Santa Barbara to live on the streets and die, cold, stoned and alone. It beats fighting the System which is already pitted against the masses anyway.

Charles.

Jennifer... I dont even know where to start with your ridiculous comment. Are you saying that while you were living in Santa Barbara your brother became homeless and died in the street while you were "loving him to the end"? You mention a "breakdown of services", how about a beakdown of family? I cant imagine a scenario where one of my sisters becomes homeless living on the streets in the town where I live, and somehow I think that she is someone elses responsibility. That she should be a burden on my neighbors and my city instead of taking her in myself.

And what is your issue with my comment exactly? My point was simply that the article gives no frame of reference. If 45 homeless people die and we only have 45 homeless people living here to begin with, yeah thats a problem. But if 45 people die out of 10,000, and the national average is 500 homeless deaths out of 10,000, then hey, all of a sudden it looks like Santa Barbara actually has some pretty amazing services set up doesnt it?

Also, I dont know if you have had the opportunity to speak with any homeless people who are not in your immediate family, but I suggest you go an take a poll during a peak tourism weekend like fiesta days. You will find, as I did, that many of the street people here have come via train from Santa Maria, Lompoc, LA etc. Not only that but some of them are not even homeless!! Just taking advantage of generous tourists and peeing on Starbucks during a long weekend of crack and meth.