09-02 Homelessness

Published on November 10th, 2009

By ALEX DEMARBAN

Summary

• Seek immediate emergency funding for recovery, housing and treatment services.

• Increase statewide services for alcohol and drug treatment, mental illness and homelessness.

• Stimulate research to gather information about the nature and scope of homeless groups and use the findings to support intervention programs and policy.

• Ensure that housing vouchers are available through regional housing corporations.

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Full Text

RESOLUTION 09-02

DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE STRATEGY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR ALASKA NATIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS

WHEREAS: Alaska has been the homeland for Alaska Native peoples for tens of thousands of years; and

WHEREAS: Today Alaska Native peoples represent more than 19% of the total population in Alaska; and

WHEREAS: Many of our people have suffered trauma in their lives that have led them to become homeless; and

WHEREAS: Since June 2009, 12 homeless individuals have died within the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, seven of whom were Alaska Natives; and

WHEREAS: Many other Alaska Native people from throughout the State of Alaska, including individuals living in Nome and Fairbanks, have died on the streets while they were homeless; and

WHEREAS: Twenty-two percent of Alaska Native people earn incomes that are below federal poverty line-nearly three times the rate of non-Native Alaskans; and

WHEREAS: The State Medical Examiner's office has concluded that acute alcohol and drug intoxication, acute and chronic ethanol ism, and hypothermia due to environmental exposure contributed to the deaths of our people; and

WHEREAS: The Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) reviewed all of its records relating to these individuals, and found that eight of twelve people who died on the streets of Anchorage had received services at CITC, three of whom sought treatment for chronic alcohol dependency and five of whom were trying to find work or education, and that traumatic brain injury was implicated in the condition of at least three of these individuals; and

WHEREAS: The deaths of these individuals clearly demonstrate that there are huge gaps in the social safety nets in our communities; and

WHEREAS: Prevention and intervention are critical components of an adequate continuum of care, and lack of prevention/intervention and treatment funds means more work for criminal justice, public safety, emergency medicine, and intense treatment services, all of which are costly, reactive, and more traumatic for those being served (a study conducted by McDowell Group concluded that untreated substance abuse resulted in costs of $738 million to the Alaskan economy during 2003); and

WHEREAS: A statewide reduction in services, especially in rural areas, has pushed the problem into Anchorage; and

WHEREAS: Sources such as the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the Alaska Center for Rural Health all cite the serious impacts of decreasing resources for treatment, including waiting periods, increased case loads and resulting staff burn-outs, and displaced rural families; and

WHEREAS: There are only 373 treatment beds available statewide; and

WHEREAS: Immediate administrative and legislative action is necessary to develop a comprehensive, statewide strategy to develop and provide adequate social services for all Alaska Native people who are homeless; and

WHEREAS: Adequate and permanent shelter is a basic need, and its absence has a deleterious effect upon physical and mental health, personal development, and the ability to exercise individual rights and obligations; and

WHEREAS: Groups who have historically been discriminated against, such as Alaska Natives and other ethnic minorities, persons with mental illness, women, children and youth, have been disproportionately affected by the lack of affordable and suitable housing; and,

WHEREAS: Homelessness may contribute to and may result from severe emotional distress, traumatic brain injury, and mental illness; and,

WHEREAS: The number of individuals and families who are without permanent shelter continues to grow, and the number of people at high risk of becoming homeless is even larger; and,

WHEREAS: Psychologists possess models, theories, techniques knowledge and best practices that can ameliorate the problems of homeless persons; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the delegates to the 2009 Annual Convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives that Alaska Federation of Natives shall pursue the following executive and legislative action to:

1. Seek immediate emergency and long term funding to provide essential recovery, housing, and treatment services to homeless populations; and

2. Immediately address the reduction in statewide services for alcohol and drug treatment, mental illness, and homelessness; and

3. Ensure that housing vouchers are available through regional housing corporations to address the housing needs of homeless populations; and,

4. Stimulate research to gather accurate information about the nature and scope of homeless groups such as children, displaced gay and lesbian youth, and victimized women and children, and apply these research fmdings to consumer-related intervention programs and policy recommendations; and,

5. Recommend immediate action to federal, state, and local officials based on current knowledge to re-house the homeless, utilize psychologists and other groups experienced in working with poor and ethnic minority communities in policy research and intervention to assist the homeless, and to provide mental health and supportive services to enable the homeless to improve their ability to maintain a stable and dignified life styles; and,

6. Advocate that public funds be provided to finance not only emergency responses to the crisis, but also try to implement preventive programs to keep the number of homeless persons and families from growing larger; and,

7. Disseminate accurate information about homelessness to psychologists, policy makers and the public to alert them to social phenomena that exacerbate the problem and suggest both clinical and systems interventions for those who suffer the consequences of poverty and homelessness; and

8. Encourage and endorse legislation calling for a state of Alaska conference and a White House Conference on homelessness.

SUBMITTED BY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ALASKA FEDERATION OF NATIVES

CONVENTION ACTION: AMENDED AND PASSED