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Recovery in the News
Turning Away The Homeless Won't Help Them Become Well
TheDay.com
July 7, 2008
Imagine the following situation - a person who is both homeless and still caught in the grip of addiction comes forward seeking the safety of an overnight shelter. This person is not a danger to himself or others, he is willing to follow the rules that absolutely prohibit the use of alcohol or drugs in or around the shelter. Should he be stopped at the door, sent back to the streets and told to come back when he has conquered their addiction?
This is an emotional issue with strong feelings on both sides. But what if we focus in on what I believe is our shared goal - encouraging recovery. Do we encourage recovery by offering shelter or by denying it?
Some are arguing that turning people away will encourage recovery. If people abusing drugs or alcohol must suffer the consequences by being forced to live outside, they will change. If “tough love” forces people to hit rock bottom, they will change.
Punishment and “tough love” occasionally work. We use a kind of punishment approach at the shelter in that we have very clear consequences that follow from behavior that harms others. We even, on rare occasions, embrace a kind of “tough love” approach and ban individuals from the shelter if their behavior makes it impossible for us to offer a place of safety and rest for other guests.
But study after study has found that the chances of recovery increase as a person begins to believe in the possibility of a meaningful life. People recover not mainly to avoid punishment, but in order to gain something they care about - feelings of self worth, a job, friends, family or the chance to express their talents. The most powerful motivation for recovery is a vision of a life worth living. Hope is a much stronger motivator than despair.
What helps builds hope in people suffering from addiction? A recent study sums it up - “What does community have to do with recovery? Everything!” Recovery is facilitated when people form relationships with others, when they feel valued and supported, when they have positive role models, when they have access to information about treatment, when they need to act differently to be part of a community they care about.
As the minister at the First Congregational Church in New London, this research only confirms what I think scripture has always said. Whether it be Abraham welcoming strangers or Jesus advising us on how to treat the “least of these,” the gospel is about engagement, about community, about a God of grace, of invitation, of love. Research and scripture both say there is more power in connection than exclusion. More power in hope than despair. More power in love than judgment.
Offering overnight shelter is the single most important tool we have to begin the engagement process with homeless individuals suffering from addiction - and engagement opens the door to so much else. Engagement opens the door to treatment - not just for substance abuse but also for the mental health issues that often go along with it. Engagement opens the door to the things that make life meaningful including a job and a place to live. It is not just the bed that matters - our goal is to connect with people and help them find the support they need to move beyond addiction.
Will we help a person abusing alcohol or drugs move toward recovery by turning them away from the shelter or by letting them in? I believe strongly that the answer to this question is - let them in. Let them in not just to a bed, but to a community that knows how to start building the relationships that can lead to recovery.
Catherine Zall Is The Executive Director Of The New London Homeless Hospitality Center And Pastor Of The First Congregational Church In New London.© 2008 The Day Publishing Co.