Drug use, mental health, and homelessness are major issues that are linked in the public’s mind.
Many of us know someone who has struggled with drug use or who has a mental health condition.
As homelessness rises, these issues have become more visible. Many people worry about public drug use, mental health issues, or homelessness in their neighborhoods. The concerns are both for the individual suffering — sometimes someone we love — and the wider community. Many of the family members and friends of people who are impacted by these issues feel like they have run out of options for their loved ones.
People need better access to care. Care systems that do exist are inadequate and underfunded. However, harsh enforcement has been the status quo in the U.S. for the past 60 years. But arrests, incarceration, encampment sweeps, involuntary treatment, and drug and mental health courts approaches cost taxpayer money, worsen health outcomes, and undermine public safety. Our new report discusses five approaches that take care of people and help create healthier, safer communities.
