Homeless Death Debrief

What they don't tell you is that many of these "homeless deaths" occurred as a direct and proximate result of cigarette smoking which is encouraged at the homeless shelters basically as (1) a cheap tranquilizer to avoid having to actually deal with issues and create a decent, respectful environment and (2) as a means to a sort of bribery economy where inmates can be manipulated with promise of a cigarette. Homelessness professionals and amateur intervenors compete for popularity among the homeless and as a result sponser rather than criticize cigarette smoking behaviours.

Another source of pathology is the failure of infectious individuals to cover their mouths properly when coughing, often issuing dense, wet clouds of pathogenic viral and bacterial vectors of disease.

Shelter staff and volunteers have an uncanny lack of concern with this, even though I have met personnel who have acquired pneumonia and other infections at these sites.

Cohorting masses of homeless people in one large room under one roof is a surefire way of ensuring that what comes around goes around. What is needed is smaller decentralized shelters and warming centers.

A major obstacle is the exaggeration of the supposed behavioural maladaptation of homeless. Eager to attract funding, various "professionals" paint a picture of homeless people as simply inept and dysfunctional people suffering from mysterious "mental illness". In many cases, however, the psychopathology of homeless persons is no better nor worse than that of the general population. The root cause of homelessness is economics: the growth of population and the contraction of homebuilding due primarily to restrictive zoning and regulatory red tape.

Thus, we have met the enemy, and it is us. Intervenors are killing with kindness the unhoused by encouraging unhealthy behaviours. Last but not least, the unrestricted provision of high fat content foods, like piles of donuts and pastries, is only more grist for the mill. The meals would be better served by a focus on spartan regiments of say rice and simple home cooked whole wheat breads, with smoking prohibited at all homeless services locations.

However, no one wants to face up to these realities, and it is far easier to blame the messenger than to consider the simple matter of health maintenance and prevention of illness. I sincerely hope that Dr. Lennon, Dr. Prystowski and the directors of Casa Esperanza (Mike Foley and Mark Asman) take these points to heart rather than defensively circling the wagons and suppressing public comment.

Interesting points Geof, you hit on some significant factors that DO contribute to homeless deaths.
Now I'm going to throw in my $0.02 worth in there as more of a question rather than identifying factors.
How many of those homeless deaths were LOCAL homeless, not out of staters or crusties?
Seems to me that the out of state crusties you see on State Street aggressively panhandling & harassing passersby appear to be in good health.
Well fed, upright, able bodied, strong, always up for an exchange. That ain't homeless, they're HOUSELESS BY CHOICE.
I'll bet you that those homeless deaths were all to TRUE homeless that the out of state crusties stole their social service programs from.
It is the homeless lifestyle crew that IS killing the REAL homeless by stealing their deserved benefits.
Get rid of the aggressive homeless wannabe lifestylers, you can truly take care of the REAL homeless :) henry

Revised and sent to DPH:
O: Dr Lennon
FROM: Geof Bard
CC: Prystowski, et al (DWW); Barbosa; BOS; SBCity Council;St Bridgett's

RE: Homeless deaths - Open Letter

What the report doesn't state is that many of these "homeless deaths" occurred as a direct result of cigarette smoking which is encouraged at the homeless shelters as (1) a cheap tranquilizer to avoid having to actually deal with issues and create a decent, respectful environment and (2) as a means to a bribery economy where inmates can be manipulated with promise of cigarette privileges. Homelessness intervenors compete for popularity among the homeless and as a result sponsor rather than criticize unhealthy behaviours.

Another source of "iatrogenic" pathology is the failure of infectious individuals to cover their mouths properly when coughing, often issuing dense, wet clouds of pathogenic viral and bacterial vectors of disease. Homeless shelters and warming centers are thus inevitably the cause of greater net morbidity than they prevent.

Shelter staff and volunteers have an uncanny lack of concern with this. I have met personnel who have acquired pneumonia and other infections at these sites.If anyone rocks the boat, they encounter shunning from the intervenors and subtle encouragement of thug responses from individuals who insist on their "right" to pollute the air.

Cohorting masses of homeless people in one large room under one roof is a surefire way of ensuring that what comes around goes around. What is needed is smaller decentralized shelters and warming centers.

The root cause of homelessness is economics: the growth of population and the contraction of homebuilding due primarily to restrictive zoning and regulatory red tape. Nevertheless, homelessness professionals exaggerate the incidence of morbidity in order to attract inflated funding levels. This hyperbole which is routinely practiced has the unforseen consequence of frightening citizens to the point that they become reluctant to interact with or rent to formerly homeless, thus assuring that the homelessness profession will self-perpetrate.

Thus, we have met the enemy, and it is us. Intervenors are killing with kindness the unhoused by encouraging unhealthy behaviours.

Interesting point by Geof_Bard. I read that the one thing the Nazis allowed the inmates in the death camps to have were plentiful amounts of cigarettes.

I am still waiting for proof of the assertion that : "that many of these "homeless deaths" occurred as a direct result of cigarette smoking which is encouraged at the homeless shelters...". Albeit this statement makes an easy to digest anecdote to a willing reader...
I am also waiting for proof of the assertion that: "The root cause of homelessness is economic...".

The majority of homeless have mental problems AND substance abuse problems. Mental illness is not related to economic woes although conditions that accompany mental illness may be exacerbated by economic issues.

Further, I do not find the industry built around homeless particularly benevolent or universally well intentioned in all cases. Too often the industry insiders worry first and foremost about their own longevity.

While I agree that we should have more decentralized shelters when possible we have also refused to face up to the fact that a very large percentage of these folks cannot take care of themselves no matter what resources are offered. Reagan was not solely responsible for shutting down the mental institutions, the Democrats also failed to fund them which makes this a bi partisan failure in this state going back 40+ years.

Another issue is the REFUSAL by the mentally impaired/ill/afflicted homeless to allow any help to reach them.
The sickest thing is the fact that the law (as written to protect "civil liberties") says that help can't be forced on them.
This goes back to an Time Magazine article/interview w/ former NY Mayor Koch.
While giving a tour of NY to visiting psychologists/psychiatrists back in 1984 (I believe) to assess NYC's homeless situation they spotted something disturbing.
There was a woman, laying in the middle of Broadway in the median, passed out.
He asked what the city could do for her & the psychologists/psychiatrists told him that there was nothing that could be done, as she wasn't posing a threat to herself or others. It would also pose a violation of her "civil liberties."
Mayor Koch for a moment thought that the psychologists/psychiatrists were the crazies @ that point, but soon came to the realization that there are people, supposedly out to "do the right thing" that will keep unfortunate people such as that woman in the condition she was in.
Many of our local mentally ill homeless either refuse the help or don't have the capacity to grasp they need the help or how to get it.
MEANWHILE the crusties & BUMS take advantage of this lapse to pervert & abuse the available services while @ the same time taxing our law enforcement & emergency services for their shenanigans.
Then there's the average homeless or working homeless that are trying to get their bearings straight, but the crusties & BUMS give them a bad rap due to their behavior & actions.
It is a mess, but the fact remains, the truly homeless (w/ an emphasis on those suffering from mental illness) are who the priorities should go to :) henry