The Homeless Problem

I was reading an article written by a man who is chronically homeless and enrolled in an active case management program in another state. I enjoy reading the works of people who are homeless and understanding what daily barriers they face. It is easy for me to sit down with a client and start brainstorming resources and ideas to get him/her off the streets....but am I helping....am I listening to what they need at that very moment....or am I trying to solve their problems for them? Most of the time, Ryan and I juggle crisis intervention while trying to prevent our housed clients from moving back onto the streets. But again, are we listening to what they need? The author of the article, Roger Wade, talks about experiencing transportation barriers, communication barriers among agency staff, police harassment, and an overall lack of social acceptance and housing placement. The bottom line, our clients are all saying the same thing....WE need to be acknowledged, WE need immediate solutions, WE need permanent housing. Ryan and I took a picture of something that a client was reading the other day....a picture is worth a thousand words....EVERYBODY WANTS HOUSING.