South Carolina approves plan to exile its homeless

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I've never understood why it became an either or choice of locked mental hospitals or life on the street. I remember the law suits that lead to releasing so many mentally ill patients. Neither locked away or cast away seem like good solutions.

While I don't deny that there have been lawsuits, most of the problem was not lawsuits. It was money, pure and simple. The money to support inpatient psych facilities (yes, there were and are people who do need inpatient psych) was pulled (by politicians, by "health" insurers, by Medicaid, etc) and the majority of those facilities closed up. The public was told that "mental health services" were better provided on an "outpatient" basis. "Outpatient" turned out to be homelessness for many.

Yes, this is for real in my city.

[Coconut Flan]

I can only speak for where we lived at the time of the lawsuits, but the two mental hospitals either closed or reduced to 1/5 the previous size because they were ordered to release their patients - with no preparation and many with no families.

[CelticGoddess]

Great, because interment camps worked so well during WW2. And this is all Columbia is trying to do, create internment camps for the undesirables (according to the wealthy and the government)

I don't know about the midlands, but the upstate has several organizations who are working with the homeless to try to help. They might be faith based but at least they don't hide the homeless away. (Like Columbia is trying to do).

What is really sad, even in the hospital I work at (state supported) some of the nurses don't think the homeless deserve medical care/treatment. Even if they have pneumonia some just want to treat 'em and street 'em. Once on the floor, they complain about how they just can't stand taking care of the homeless. These are supposed to be Christian women (I don't have any men on my shift) Yeah right.

So, it really doesn't surprise me that Columbia is trying to do this. I am surprised that Charleston hasn't tried (tourist, you know) or Greenville hasn't. But then again, as I stated earlier, there are several organizations who are trying to help out the homeless.

[PennySycamore]

Many of the homeless are veterans and many others are mentally ill people who cannot get the treatment they need after St Ronnie (Ronald Reagan) helped shutter far too many psychiatric facilities during his terms in office. There are people, too, who are just down on their luck.

I want to know why we hate these people so much. Why?

[Mama Mia]

There are a lot of cities that pull similar shady things to hide the homeless. One of which is giving them a one way bus ticket somewhere else. I know Charlotte nc did this at one point, don't know if its still going on but would be surprised if it wasn't.

Goes back to how most of these people value life, until birth. :doh:

The one-way bus ticket (known as greyhound therapy by people who work in the field ) can be a good option IF it is completely voluntary AND the person has somewhere to go back to. But those are very big ifs. I live in an insanely expensive part of California and there are a large number of people who end up here who are then stuck and homeless when they find out that renting a room in a house will cost them at least $750 a month, if they could find someone to rent to them, employment is scarce and living here can drastically lower chances for a decent life.

The lock down inadequate shelter and police guarding the city is just awful and can't possibly be legal....can it?

[PennySycamore]

I think that South Carolina is mad because NC just claimed the Crazy Carolina crown from SC due to their widespread voter suppression tactics. This helps SC towards re-claiming the crown.