Mr. Hall helps again

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/02/2010 (5392 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FARON Hall has been labelled a hero for twice rescuing people from the Red River, but his most important contribution may well be the way his story has forced the community to pay closer attention to the plight of homeless people.

A friend of Mr. Hall claims the system failed to provide the kind of continuing care he required following treatment for alcoholism. That may well be true, although the evidence suggests Mr. Hall received considerable help and encouragement from a variety of social programs and from influential individuals.

Moreover, there is a limit to what any social program can do for people with deep emotional troubles and a history of substance abuse. Some human failures are unavoidable and it is unproductive to blame society or government for every troubled soul that washes up on the shores of downtown.

Unlike most street people, Mr. Hall was actually able to get into a residential treatment centre. Afterwards he was given shelter, food and income assistance, and yet it was not enough, according to his friend, who claims he needed still more direct care and support on an ongoing basis.

The case illustrates that treatment for homeless people is more complicated than simply providing them with a job and a place to live. They also need support, proper diagnosis and treatment by professionals.

Some existing programs do provide support for people like Mr. Hall, but they require a lot of initiative on the part of the person receiving the care. That’s fine for people who already have family support, but it’s not very realistic for the down and out on Main Street.

Manitoba is getting ready to start a new housing program that will ensure that some homeless people get a place to live, as well as ongoing support. The problem is that the province is several years behind other places that have launched similar programs. There is also a disturbing lack of curiosity by civic leaders about what they might do to address the issue.

Other municipalities are leading the effort against poverty in their communities, but Winnipeg city councillors seem content to wait and watch and hope for the best.

Until Faron Hall came along, homeless people were sometimes perceived as lazy drunks. Thanks to Mr. Hall, the face of homelessness just got a little more complicated.

It’s important we realize that if we truly want to help.