Comments on: The “Wet House” Concept: Bunks For Drunks? Or Harm Reduction? http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/ Fri, 04 Jul 2014 04:16:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Fich http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/#comment-3847 Fich Mon, 23 May 2011 06:38:23 +0000 http://dissociatedpress.com/?p=2918#comment-3847 This is not a new concept - it is used a lot in the field of homeless transitional housing. There are lots of homeless men and women who have mental illnesses and self-medicate using alcohol, or are on the street because of alcoholism. This housing idea for the homeless is actually one of the few things that liberals and conservatives agree upon. Liberals see it as part of a social contract to help people who cannot help themselves, conservatives see it as a way to preempt the expenses incurred by hospital and police when dealing with injuries, fights or crimes caused by drunk, homeless individuals. Both sides agree that this strategy improves quality of life for others by getting the homeless off the streets, either for their own good or because they cause economic harm. This is not a new concept – it is used a lot in the field of homeless transitional housing. There are lots of homeless men and women who have mental illnesses and self-medicate using alcohol, or are on the street because of alcoholism. This housing idea for the homeless is actually one of the few things that liberals and conservatives agree upon.

Liberals see it as part of a social contract to help people who cannot help themselves, conservatives see it as a way to preempt the expenses incurred by hospital and police when dealing with injuries, fights or crimes caused by drunk, homeless individuals. Both sides agree that this strategy improves quality of life for others by getting the homeless off the streets, either for their own good or because they cause economic harm.

]]> By: admin http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/#comment-3799 admin Sun, 10 Apr 2011 16:54:17 +0000 http://dissociatedpress.com/?p=2918#comment-3799 Thanks for your thoughts Dani, in spite of your peculiar implication that I may have awakened on someone's lawn. It's interesting to hear a real world, firsthand story. I'm sure you can understand the cognitive dissonance an idea like this might arouse in <i>anyone</i>, whether they're in recovery or not. Almost all the people I know who are in recovery had to struggle with what they thought about this idea. However, friends who do <i>not</i> self-identify as substance abusers typically leaned whichever way they leaned in alignment with their conservative vs liberal values, including several friends who are either social workers, therapists, or both. And the only people I've spoken with who think this is <i>without question</i> a good idea are a couple of friends who are both AA "old timers" and counseling professionals. My personal thoughts lean toward what I said in my first comment. This could work; and if it saves the life of a rock-bottom alcoholic, it's almost irrelevant how much it saves a municipal budget. Thanks for your thoughts Dani, in spite of your peculiar implication that I may have awakened on someone’s lawn. It’s interesting to hear a real world, firsthand story.

I’m sure you can understand the cognitive dissonance an idea like this might arouse in anyone, whether they’re in recovery or not. Almost all the people I know who are in recovery had to struggle with what they thought about this idea. However, friends who do not self-identify as substance abusers typically leaned whichever way they leaned in alignment with their conservative vs liberal values, including several friends who are either social workers, therapists, or both. And the only people I’ve spoken with who think this is without question a good idea are a couple of friends who are both AA “old timers” and counseling professionals.

My personal thoughts lean toward what I said in my first comment. This could work; and if it saves the life of a rock-bottom alcoholic, it’s almost irrelevant how much it saves a municipal budget.

]]> By: Dani http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/#comment-3798 Dani Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:24:25 +0000 http://dissociatedpress.com/?p=2918#comment-3798 An acquaintance of mine was involved in opening the Seattle property, a social worker & recovering alcoholic. The numbers showed $37,000 per person saved in ER services in the first year. To the previous poster, no, going to St Paul & drinking does not give you a bed. They requirements require a history of rehab attempts & hospitalization on the communities dime. The typical minimum age of the patients was mid 40s, though I remember one of his fatalities was a 33 year old native American who hemorrhaged from the esophagus. Yes there was a series of fatalities in the first months which shook them to their toes as well as the still necessary ambulance calls. His worst client, banned from the public areas of the building, refused to use bathrooms, or change his clothes. He shit himself & lived in the clothing. These people are pathetic & deserve our compassion. To the original poster of the blog, I am glad you overcame you addiction, but seriously, did you live in the street? Waking up on someone's lawn a time or two is not the same. An acquaintance of mine was involved in opening the Seattle property, a social worker & recovering alcoholic. The numbers showed $37,000 per person saved in ER services in the first year. To the previous poster, no, going to St Paul & drinking does not give you a bed. They requirements require a history of rehab attempts & hospitalization on the communities dime. The typical minimum age of the patients was mid 40s, though I remember one of his fatalities was a 33 year old native American who hemorrhaged from the esophagus. Yes there was a series of fatalities in the first months which shook them to their toes as well as the still necessary ambulance calls. His worst client, banned from the public areas of the building, refused to use bathrooms, or change his clothes. He shit himself & lived in the clothing. These people are pathetic & deserve our compassion. To the original poster of the blog, I am glad you overcame you addiction, but seriously, did you live in the street? Waking up on someone’s lawn a time or two is not the same.

]]> By: admin http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/#comment-3622 admin Sat, 19 Feb 2011 05:01:25 +0000 http://dissociatedpress.com/?p=2918#comment-3622 It really IS hard to get comfortable with the fact that this might just be a good idea, but when you've seen how deep an alcoholic can go, you can see a weird hope in the idea rather than a "house of death by drink" motif. [Posted by Blackberry from my new home in St Paul] ;-) It really IS hard to get comfortable with the fact that this might just be a good idea, but when you’ve seen how deep an alcoholic can go, you can see a weird hope in the idea rather than a “house of death by drink” motif.

[Posted by Blackberry from my new home in St Paul]

;-)

]]> By: kristin http://dissociatedpress.com/2011/02/the-wet-house-concept-bunks-for-drunks-or-harm-reduction/#comment-3620 kristin Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:52:16 +0000 http://dissociatedpress.com/?p=2918#comment-3620 Wow. All I have to do is fly to Minneapolis to take part in this? In all seriousness, hard won sobriety has made my life pretty good and I wouldn't want to abandon it at this point. I know there are a lot of people who cannot or will not get sober and this would be a very humane idea. I've known people personally who have frozen to death outside. Wow. All I have to do is fly to Minneapolis to take part in this? In all seriousness, hard won sobriety has made my life pretty good and I wouldn’t want to abandon it at this point. I know there are a lot of people who cannot or will not get sober and this would be a very humane idea. I’ve known people personally who have frozen to death outside.

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