Street roots., June 06, 2014, Page 12, Image 12

Street roots
june 6, 2014
National discussions on health care, homelessness offer hope
was not allowed to sleep there, but he would
not make an issue, knowing that the buses
entrai City Concern’s Health Services
were no longer running for the night, |
Advisory, Council gives consuniers the
Oregon has a serious issue of people
opportunity to express their and peers
experiencing homelessness, but Louisiana
opinions on how the Old Town Clinic
surely is one state whose population has
operates, and empowers members to have a
suffered more immediate dire straits. And
voice in the comçiunity. Toward this r
New Orleans was a most appropriate setting
endeavor, I had the opportunity to attend the
for the 2014 conference on health care and
National Health Càre for the Homeless
homelessness.
Conference in-New Orleans, which focused on
John Lozier, executive director of National
the link between health care and
Health Care for the Homeless Council, points
homelessness.
out that New Orleans is still recovering from
My own story of homelessness began in
the devastation of Hurricane Katrina that
late 2008, when I began experiencing major
occurred nearly 10 years ago, yet the State of
mental health issues, and finally lost my
Louisiana still has not expanded Medicaid to
position as an alcohol and drug counselor. I
its poorest adults. This was the overwhelming
had earned $18 an hour, and was living in a
theme at the conference, tying lack of health *
lovely 2,500-square-foot home. I moved out
care to honieless as a vicious cycle.
into the street with my service animal, and
.Distinguished keynote speakers included
became one of what author Mark Horvath
Secretary Shaun Donovan, from the U.S.
refers to as the Invisible People. As I reflect
Department of Housing and Urban
on that period of time in my life, I remember
Development, Mark Horvath, Founder of
feeling ghostly, and although it was a terrible
Invisible People, an ongoing documentary
experience, there is a certain freedom in it
titles “@home” based on the lives of people
that makes it more difficult to re-join the 18
experiencing chronic homelessness, and what
mainstream. You are indeed, invisible to most-
they believe contributed to their situation.
of society, but for those Mho do take notice, it
Old Town Clinic’s Dr. Rachel Solotaroff,
brings out the best and worst.
medical director of Central City Concern, -
I was feeling completely desolate one
received the Karen Rotondo Award for
sunny afternoon. The prior evening a group
Outstanding Service.
of college students from my alma mater,
Day one of the workshop included a very
Portland State University, had sprayed down-
poignant training titled Combating Overdose ,
my belongings with chemicals while I used
and Opioid Poisoning Death among People
the restroom at The Cheerful Tortoise, once
Experiencing Homelessness. It drove home
a study hangout while I was studying for my
the statistic that the number one cause of
bachelor’s degree in social science. But on
death among adults experiencing
this lovely day, I was near the McDonald’s
homelessness is drug overdose, with heroin
hear campus, and I had been scrounging in
and prescription pain relievers described as
the bottom of my purse for change to buy
liie majority of these preventable deaths. The
something to eat. As I approached the fast
speakers advocate for overdose education and
food door, I heard a shout from behind, and
use of Naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote,
when the man caught up, he pressed a $20
workshopo n ■] -j >« m h *■«
JjiU jptn n o v h a n d , -a n d s a i d “ T a m - s a & o r n L -------
motivational interviewing made it clear:
that you are experiencing this.” I began
sobbing. I realized that I’d been feeling that 3 Whether the topic is substance abuse, weight
loss or diabetes, control, the premise is that
this was who I was, a homeless lady, and not
people are more successful when internally
that this was a temporary event in my life. I
motivated rather than directed or mandated.
would never ask for money when I was in this
On Thursday, we leàrned about a
situation, but did acceptja few times when it
community-based participatory research
was offered. This gentleman offered much
project that was collaborative with Portland
more than money; he gave me back my sense
State University, OHSU, and the National
of self-worth.
College <rf Natural Medicine. It involved
One other notable experience was a little
interviewing sixteen consumers who shared
boy who encountered me in Creston Park, a
their opinions on recovery, and what was
frequent playground for me as a child. He
most helpful in their journey. The theme of
wanted to know where I got the dog, and I
. the week was carried over in this workshop
realized that for him, this snapshot in time
that people felt more supported when their
was who I was. Even an adult police officer-
opinions were considered, and they were
showed the same reaction, but from my
treated with respect rather than
perspective, I should have been more
confrontation, and the importance of
cognizant that this life is more than what you
considering health care and housing together
see in front of you in the moment Thank
for success in recovery.
goodness there are other police officers who
The workshop titled Spare Some Social
show humanity. I was sleeping on the bench
and had just gotten everything soaked by the
Change? Integrating Direct Service and
Sprinkler nearby, when anofficer caïne along
Advocacy to Prevent and end Homelessness
at 3:30 a.m. to tell the teens in the Swimming was a call to encourage both staff and
pool to move along. He let me know that I
consumers to advocate in persoif for policy
BY SAMM MCCRARY
C O N T R IB U T IN G C O L U M N IS T
Samm McCrary
is a member of
Central City
Concern’s Health
Services Advisory
Council in
Portland.
B
j
puf
change, citing the research that notes that it
is much more effective one-ori-one, face-to-
face in dealing with those in power to effect
change. Statistics bear out that so much
money is spent in this country on war in
comparison to other countries,, and how
re-distributing those funds could impact
homelessness. One woman with Health Care
for the Homeless described taking some of
the young consumers to a rally, then sharing
lunch while sitting alongside the Chesapeake
Bay — simple pleasures that these inner-city
kids had not experienced. This act led to the
kids becoming active advocates in the
community. A dentist for Alameda County
Health Care for the Homeless became an
advocate after viewing the dire effects of
clients wjth rio;
health coverage. A
social worker who
. lobbies for change
in Washington DC, I s 1 reflect on that p e rla i
time la my life, 1 remember
led the rally that
evening, asking
feeling gbostlyy a a i altbeagb
Louisiana leaders
It was a terrible experience,
to step up to the
there Is a cenala ire e ié m la
plate and provide
it that, m aies it mere
health care for
their people.
it flic ttlt t® re-jeia the
On another
mainstream, Ton are Indeed
issue, we discussed
invisible I® mast of seciety?
the “silver ’
tsunami” coming in bwt for those who do tabe
regard to baby
notice^ It StsagroBl the best
boomers who are
and worst,
homeless with
little or no health
coverage. The ,
programs currently
in place tend to
target much olcler adults, and disregard the
fact that homeless adults are exhibiting
chronichealth pipblems Jgiipfrearher, thgU-rr
the norm. These health professionals are
pushing for recognition that health and
housing programs being put into placein a
preventive manner now will save dollars and
lives later on.
One incredible aspectof the conference
” was observing the mix of consumers, social
workers and medical professionals sitting
down to lunch together to discuss these .
issues, and having everyone’s voice be
appreciated and respected. For me, the most
heartwrenching piece was viewing “@home”,
and hearing the description of how many
people had died out there on the streets since
Mark Hovarth began his work. These
workshops presented many pieces of the
puzzle on thé answers to ending
homelessness; one presenter said it well
when she remarked that although she always
enjoys the conferences, she prays that one
day soon there will no longer be any need for
them.
I left the conference feeling great pride in
my clinic, and with a new energy to put into
my efforts in ending homelessness.
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