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Opposition to Housing For Mentally Ill in West AnchorageProposal by mental health officials clashes with neighborhood leadersRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - It's being proposed as part of the solution to Anchorage's homeless problem: turning the Long House hotel in West Anchorage into long-term housing for homeless people with mental illness. But some members of the community say they don't want it to go forward. But despite the conflict, the program is moving forward. And area residents have said they’re being left in the dark. “I don't feel like we've been provided enough information on to how this would really be operated if it did become a housing facility,” Gleason said. “The public process has been very scattered.” The hotel’s owner, Terry Latham, said he wants to sell the hotel in a way that helps the community, which is why the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and Anchorage Mental Health Services Inc. wants to buy it. With room for nearly 50 residents, and bus access to Downtown and Providence Medical Center, the trust says the hotel is in an ideal location for a supported housing option similar to Fairview’s Karluk Manor. “The reason we're doing housing like this for certain populations is so that there can be staff on site, in programs, so we can monitor, support and ask questions,” said Nancy Burke, the AMHTA program officer. She explained that “supported housing” means a place for qualified and screened applicants to stay, supervised 24 hours a day by “staff members who are trained to recognize when someone is going into crisis and who can respond immediately.” But Gleason isn't convinced. Housing homeless people with what’s described by AMHTA as “severe mentally illness” is not something she says is “appropriate” for the neighborhood. “There's a daycare center, just up the block, there's a lot of kids that live in this area, the residents will be free to come and go,” she said. People in her community “are just questioning the wisdom of putting something like that, at this location. “They're just not sure this is an appropriate location for that level of housing under one roof.” Other community members say they need more information, more public meetings, and tours of facilities like Karluk if they’re going to support it. Jim Bowers is the president of the Spenard Community Council. “We're trying to work with [the AMHTA and the AMHS], we're tying to understand, we're trying to be supportive,” he said. But the plan is moving forward faster than the communication with the community can take place. “The difference in speeds just doesn't mesh well, that makes it really hard for me to go to my community to say, ‘here's something we should support.’” Burke said this is a conversation that needs to take place across the city. “You know, I live in Anchorage,” she said. “And I believe we should all be involved in discussing how we're going to take care of our own." She said the trust plans to engage more members of the community thorough outreach and education. |
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Mike J said on Monday, Jan 7 at 8:33 PM
A lot of the fear is because there's so much of a false perception out there about people and mental illness. Not only are there different levels of mental illness, but these individuals are already out there in the community on a daily basis. You pass them on the street, you see them at the malls, etc., and just don't know who because it's not something obvious like something physical, etc. Could be the wife next door, the kid down the block, the man at the bus stop, etc...
110814552TedtheBear said on Monday, Jan 7 at 8:52 PM
What Mike J forget is that there seem to be a lack of information regarding this move. First of all, what kind of mentally ill patients are we looking at? Criminal kind? I used to work at a mental health ward at the Anchorage Complex and you do NOT want those folks hanging around your neighborhood. Second, what will be staffing for this mental health facility? What is the ratio per staff vs the mentally ill? How many nurses will it have? How many support staff? Third, who is responsible for security for such a place? Will this place be fenced in? Or will it be an open facility? I don't blame the people who live in that area at all for openly questioning this sort of move.
110815322Lives Nearby said on Monday, Jan 7 at 9:15 PM
Ted asks some excellent questions. In addition, the area is closely and densely populated with families, including numerous children. There is both a middle school and high school bus stop on the property. Wisconsin is a heavily trafficked road, with a curve and multiple ingress/ egress to the Long House property, a large apartment complex, a neighborhood, a church/daycare, and several small businesses, as well as two People Mover stops and the previously mentioned school bus stops-- all within 200 yards of each other. The area already is hazardous and very, very busy. Which begs the question: Is this a safe environment for the proposed residents? This process must be transparent to all stakeholders and all relevant factors carefully considered.
110816126Anonymous said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 2:56 AM
What are you offering as an alternative? Where will you house mentally disabled people? Whatever you do, don't let them tramp across your beautifully manicured gardens. And do not, whatever happens, let them talk to your Eddie Bauer-clad children. Have your community meeting in Starbucks and let the rest of us know what you have decided.
110824412JJ said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 3:59 AM
House them out of town
110826326Find It Interesting said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 6:20 AM
I work with a woman who does nothing other than talk about her great works in her church. Her church sends money around the world to the missions. They truly want to help the poor and ill. That is... until they want to move a facility into her neighborhood. Then, they are 'undesirable and should be moved somewhere else - we don't want those kind in our neighborhood'. The people she is denigrating are our neighbors. Any one of us could be in their position at any time. Isn't it about time all these do-gooders who pray so loudly and broadcast how great they are when the support people around the world, actually help their neighbors?
110832062what is mental illness? said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 8:18 AM
Is it being caught up in your religion you kill for it - Crusades - Current Middle East...is it being so money oriented you work 80 hours a week to rush to take a shat when you get older? or is it in the mundane life some take up to avoid the two possibilies of the above...mental illness is a crappy way of saying 'mental mechanics' so instead of offering a way to fix the 'muffler' you would rather junk the car hu? cash for clunkers right?
110840571Burned By the Trust said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 9:08 AM
The people proposing this plan are well known for lying and cheating to get their way. The Trust cannot be trusted.
110843766Raven33 said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 4:44 PM
Can't we find some place in Mountain View? Seems like that is the part of town the city likes to put our down trodden in. I guess when it hits a more affluent part of town then it becomes a major issue.
110881181TedtheBear said on Tuesday, Jan 8 at 6:02 PM
I think the questions I asked are reasonable ones and vital to the safety of the neighborhood. Too often, mental health facility become a fire and forgot project. Without answers, how can the community make a reasonable decision? By the way, Christian Crusades were response to Muslim conquests that was threatening the Christian Byzantine Empire, the Balkans states and other Christian territories. It was not an act of aggression but a counter move against Muslim aggressions. The previous writer who wrote on it needs to read up on the subject.
110886171Anonymous said on Wednesday, Jan 9 at 9:07 AM
Well, speaking of religions, sometimes with all their ways and to be a "fill in the blank" are the reason for mental illness Ted...Great Expectations may be? I have no problem believing in God, but Christian or Muslim has their "ways" of believing in God, that some take it to the extreme and they take up arms and war with anyone for "God" of course...reading or not...but this "disdain" for the mentally ill is going to backlash when catastrophe hits and your sorry sack is laying there while the "mentally ill" look at you in curiosity - chaos is normal to them...just another day they say...and they will probably help your sorry sack just to be nice... so lets all remember that the next time we throw daggers at something we refuse to accept... treating them like they are leapers that is mean! oh and the elders say the way kids eat is why their minds are so scattered...may be...may be??? I like the mechanic approach, good way to bring up a subject in a funny manner...not negative...
110933001TedtheBear said on Wednesday, Jan 9 at 5:41 PM
Anonymous, I am sorry to say this but to the mentally ill, chaos is just chaos. Having worked with them for nearly 17 years in mental health ward at Anchorage Complex, I can say without a doubt that their normal is NOT your normal. These are really sick people who need a full time facility, not the care bear kind that you are thinking about. Medication and care is needed constantly. What type of mentally ill that would be house there is important because those who are criminal but mentally ill are more of a real threat because many do not take their medication on purpose. Mentally ill don't make them mentally stupid. Just remember that much. I asked few questions about this facility they are planning because people who live around that neighborhood deserves to have some answers instead of sermons.
110968871The doc is in... said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 3:13 PM
Vitamin and mineral levels have a lot to do with the way a person acts and behaves...mineral level deficiencies in particular drive people to madness... Jack the Ripper had a severe mineral deficiency...think about it long and hard before spewing criticisms...I have not seen a study to take the "mentally ill" and clean them up off the drugs and test their levels...then recalibrate the meds to custom fit the conditions for which the person has...old school doctoring really... money has taken over healthcare and pharmaceuticals are used like candy to treat a spoiled child...sad really...back to old school!
111034451RE: Burned by the Trust said on Tuesday, Jan 15 at 7:55 PM
Things are not what they seem indeed...time for an audit by the voters and citizens of Alaska...like most folks we have nothing to lose so we have nothing to hide...but they do...what is new?
111414061RE: Find it interesting said on Tuesday, Jan 15 at 7:57 PM
that is called a hypocrite...but I think you knew that already...and your right...most preach but refuse to teach...and the best teach and don't preach...I feel your pain having to work with such an Asshat...lol...
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