On this episode, Amy Donaldson and Jasen Lee invite Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown and the department's social work manager, Lana Dalton, to discuss the impact of addiction and mental illness on Utah's homeless population, and what law enforcement is doing to help mitigate this important community issue.
Too often, homelessness is thought of as a criminal issue, but according to the police, it often involves addiction and mental illness. Many people who live on the streets often battle substance abuse or may suffer from various forms of mental illness such as schizophrenia or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With that in mind, law enforcement has developed social services strategies to get people the help they truly need rather than incarceration.
Law enforcement contends that treating homelessness as more of a public health and social services issue is resulting in more permanent solutions and reducing the burden on the already overcrowded local jails. This approach is beginning to pay dividends that could lead to better outcomes.
