Diocesan Efforts to Help End Homelessness Emphasize Dignity

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During the last two years, the Diocese of Salt Lake City has been heavily involved in state efforts to ensure that incidents of homelessness become infrequent, non-recurring and of short duration. One of the many positive aspects of the ongoing discussion has been growing public awareness that there isn’t a “homeless population” that can be treated as a homogenous group.  Rather, people from all sorts of backgrounds in a wide variety of unexpected and unwelcome situations find themselves sharing a common need for housing.

Serving people who are experiencing homelessness requires multiple organizations with a range of resources and a common goal of moving people into housing. Once housed, individuals who have mental health issues or addictions are better able to focus on those barriers to further success. Though their barriers to housing are different, individuals who lost their homes to unemployment or domestic violence are similarly better able to find employment and safety once they too are housed.  

For most people suffering from homelessness, obtaining housing will be simple, provided affordable options exist. Some people, however, will need emergency shelter and the services Catholic Community Services’ provides at the Weigand Resource Center. Best practices for serving people needing emergency assistance and shelter is to provide very few barriers for entry into shelter and services.  In recent weeks, however, what is meant by low barrier has become confused.

Reviewing some news reports and comments, the public might be persuaded that low barrier means no rules. This is not the case. Low barriers to shelter and services means we don’t automatically turn people away for certain behaviors.  It also means we ensure people are not discouraged from seeking services by conditions that ask them to be someone they are not. We welcome all, but also have reasonable and transparent expectations to ensure the safety and accessibility of our facilities. In other words, we don’t ask someone to be sober to use our facilities, but we do ask that they not use drugs while on our property. Similarly, we try to create safe spaces for people who have experienced domestic violence or other abuse; thus, violent behavior is not accepted.  

Rules and policies that reinforce standards of care and best practices help us all. Providers know from experience that these are not barriers, but pathways to success. They keep weapons, drugs and predators out of our facilities. They promote recovery by creating a space for clients that is free from violence, fear and the behaviors they are seeking to escape or change. When we create a culture in which everyone respects each other and the standards of care, we recognize and promote human dignity. Most importantly, clients are safe and supported in environments that make it more likely for them to move out of homelessness into stability.

Setting and adhering to standards is not easy. It’s hard to tell a client addicted to substance use that they can’t bring drugs inside our facility. It’s hard to ask someone who has a history of physically threatening other people to leave. While these are hard conversations to have, having them is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone who enters our doors. If we focus on expectations rather than punishment, we can help individuals who are often treated as criminals feel valued.  If the expectations are reasonable, transparent, consistently and proportionately applied and established with client input, we can address situations of risk in a manner that promotes respect, responsibility and safety for all.  

As partners in an evolving homeless service provider system, the diocese is committed to the safety of our clients. We can continue to keep our service facilities safe and welcoming to all who need them. Doing so recognizes that every person experiencing homelessness is an individual, equally deserving of respect and a life of dignity. Providing assistance in a safe environment to help each person move out of crisis is the compassionate thing to do, and it is an outcome that our community of providers continues to prioritize.    

Jean Hill is director of the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Peace & Justice Commission.