Both homelessness rates and overdose deaths are at historic highs in the United States. Combined with the intersecting issue of unmet mental health needs, these challenging and complex issues represent a national crisis.
Building safe and healthy communities is possible with A Messaging Playbook for Proven Solutions to Homelessness, Addiction, and Mental Health.
Policy experts, public health officials, and service providers have proven tools that are already saving lives and helping people get the care and support they need to thrive like health care, drug and mental health treatment, overdose prevention services, and affordable and supportive housing.
This is the big story: No matter who you are, where you live, or how much money you have, we all need a safe and affordable place to live, access to health care, and the feeling of safety and belonging in our communities in order to live good lives. When we invest in these things, our communities are safer and healthier for everyone.
Sharing and telling the same big story amplifies a shared vision for safe and healthy communities and provides a proactive counter message to fear-based narratives.
Acknowledgements
The Drug Policy Alliance played a significant role and collaborated with leading organizations on drug policy, homelessness, mental health, and housing to create this guide. Those organizations include ACLU, The Action Lab at Northeastern University, Big Cities Health Coalition, Housing Narrative Lab, Reporting on Addiction, and Vera Action, and from partners at Open Society Foundations, and Jockey Hollow Foundation.
Drawing on our collective expertise, this guide was written by Tarah Walsh Communications for Vital Strategies. Big thanks to Vital Strategies for organizing this effort.