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Home(lessness) for the Holidays
At this time of year we often hear that there's "no place like home for the holidays." For many people in Connecticut this year, there is no "home" to return to and often no bed at the shelter for them. The local shelters are at the highest rate of occupancy they have experienced in many years and turning away more people then ever. More families with young children are seeking shelter assistance. Many are homeless for the first time and never thought this would happen to them.
Many homeless single adults cope with additional problems such as mental illness, addiction, and chronic medical illnesses. For them, finding and remaining in treatment and maintaining sobriety is more challenging without a stable roof over their heads.
Thousands of Connecticut residents with mental illness and/or substance abuse problems are without decent, safe, affordable housing or the individualized supports to build independent living skills and maintain their housing. As one man who is homeless and recently sober said, "Housing is so important to recovery."
The Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health found that the lack of safe affordable housing contributes to system gridlock and inappropriate institutionalization of persons within the state's mental health system—which ultimately costs more in both human and economic terms.
It is cost effective and humane to provide housing solutions, such as supportive housing, that assist people in their recovery and provide stability to individuals and families in Connecticut. A 2002 independent program evaluation found that supportive housing creates positive outcomes for both tenants and the community while decreasing the use of acute, expensive health care services. This study documented: a 71% reduction in Medicaid reimbursements for inpatient medical care; increased use of less expensive ongoing and preventive health care; increased tenant income; increased neighborhood property values; reports from a majority of neighbors and nearby business owners that neighborhoods looked or were much better than before the projects were built; and over $70 million in direct and indirect economic and fiscal benefits to Connecticut communities from the development of supportive housing projects.
The Northwest Homeless Care Coalition is actively working in the greater Torrington/ Winchester area to improve the quality of life of homeless individuals in Litchfield County, provide referral services and advocacy, and end the cycle of homelessness. Membership in the Coalition is broad-based and includes representation from Charlotte Hungerford Hospital's Mental Health Services to the Homeless; Torrington's Housing Authority; Northwest Regional Mental Health Board; Mental Health Association; Northwest Mental Health Authority; Veteran's Administration; Y House; FISH, Inc.; Winsted YMCA; CT Outreach West's PILOTs Program; CT Legal Rights Project; McCall Foundation; NW CT AIDS Project, etc.
For more info or to find out ways that you can make a difference and become a member of the Northwest Homeless Care Coalition, call Nancy Cannavo at 860-496-6353, or Claudia Sweeney at 860-482-3581.
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