Sounds like an ad slogan. California – “2 percent of the states, 12% of the population, 25% of the homeless, 33% of welfare recipients, 100% of the bad ideas in government.” A professional counselor when told there were a lot of homeless in Yuba-Sutter reacted with exasperation, “What can be done with them!?”
We could also lose sleep over what to do with all the high school graduates this year or all the babies born. What will they do? Who will feed them? Where will they live?
In a free market society governed by laws people find their way, make choices or someone else may make them for them. The good news is that there are many opportunities and resources if humans want them.
The counselor’s knee-jerk question reminds me of another nonsensical statement posed by a former local sheriff about lawless addicts allowed to rule the community. He was a good lawman but lacked an understanding of the role of law enforcement in a republic. He concluded, “We can’t arrest ourselves out of this problem.”
Laws have never eradicated any criminal behavior completely but they have been instituted by God to keep a lid on this human stew until Jesus returns. The founding fathers being familiar with the scriptures did not believe that the republic would succeed in the absence of a virtuous people, a spiritual community that could self-govern.
Of course, they also understood that humans had a sinful bent and when misbehaving needed to be checked by the community (law enforcement.) That was a role for government and they funded it. Law enforcement was God ordained to preserve the peace and rescue people from self-destructive behavior and hurting their “neighbors.”
Furthermore, beyond keeping a safe community by the enforcement of standards or laws the hope was to bring about reform and repentance of the perpetrators.
God shows his love by correcting us when needed. Life is a much bigger paddle than your parents’ employed. In fact, a parent who ignores an unruly child does not love the child and does the youngster a dis-service.
The same principle applies when people violate the norms, values and laws of the community. To allow “citizens” to behave shamefully and live like infirmed beasts, descending into bondage, chaos and confusion shows a lack of love by the leadership of the community and the state.
Furthermore, to make a “cash cow” and political points off those who are broken and downcast is despicable and deserving of punishment. Some leaders just aren’t very intelligent. Others are disingenuous, dishonest and conniving. Aberrant leaders are a much more serious problem and threat to the nation than addicts running amuck.
Not arresting or often not even citing people for petty crimes, lowering penalties for thefts, and paying people to remain addicted and irresponsible is incentivizing aberrant behavior that leads to more serious crimes.
Society has the rehabs, the treatment skills and medicines to fashion an emergency response strategy to addiction. All inmates with a substance abuse past could be treated before release, prescriptions written and a rehab arranged where necessary. Gaps in the system of care and no exit plan lead to relapse, overdoses, and higher rates of recidivism.
When addicts in the community ask for treatment they should be responded to like we address a medical emergency. Today, for medical problems we have urgent cares and also hospital emergency departments.
Addicts sent out of the emergency department and elsewhere without a treatment plan or with only recommendations is a formula for failure. If the addict is ready and needs a rehab the medical people should do any pre-entry exam, TB tests etc. and arrange for transport to a facility immediately.
Addicts often lack money, transportation, medical insurance and the patience to jump through bureaucratic hoops while experiencing withdrawals.
If the therapeutic community is serious about a holistic approach to addiction, there is no reason that an immediate response for addicts wanting treatment and a program cannot be established. The same goes for the mentally ill. In fact, many people thought to be mentally ill, when detoxed and introduced to a healthy routine get their life and mind back.
At one time restaurants only offered food at their facilities and during limited hours of operation. Food entrepreneurs then came up with 24-hour service, take-out, drive-through, food trucks, catering and home delivery.
What’s the matter with the medical and mental health world? We’re much better at delivering a taco or pizza than saving an addict or alcoholic. The medical and treatment community have the goods but maybe lack the will to alter their methodology to deliver the service in a way that could change and save lives.
(Get Lou’s podcast at “No Hostages Radio” and his articles at nohostagesradio.com)
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