If you stayed for citizen comments and the ending elected officials comments at the recent “homeless summit” in the Harvey Government Center, Key West, you might wish to report my recommendation re Key West dealing with its homeless drunks differently, by putting them into a special facility for the rest of the day they are apprehended, and then released the next morning, without any criminal charges being filed, no prosecution or court expenses, no wearing out the Sheriff financially by putting them into his jail for a month or two, no wearing out the hospital financially by taking them there, instead of to the jail, or the jail sending them to the hospital, and County Commissioner David Rice’s encouraging response, and his unfavorable sentiment about mixing homeless drunks/addicts in a shelter with homeless people trying to turn their lives around. David is a psychologist by training and trade, he ran the Guidance Clinic of the Keys for many years. He knows a great deal about rehab and mental illness. He seems to share my view that the homeless problem cannot be solved, but only somewhat managed.
If you stayed for citizen comments and the ending elected officials comments at the recent “homeless summit” in the Harvey Government Center, Key West, you might wish to report my recommendation re Key West dealing with its homeless drunks differently, by putting them into a special facility for the rest of the day they are apprehended, and then released the next morning, without any criminal charges being filed, no prosecution or court expenses, no wearing out the Sheriff financially by putting them into his jail for a month or two, no wearing out the hospital financially by taking them there, instead of to the jail, or the jail sending them to the hospital, and County Commissioner David Rice’s encouraging response, and his unfavorable sentiment about mixing homeless drunks/addicts in a shelter with homeless people trying to turn their lives around. David is a psychologist by training and trade, he ran the Guidance Clinic of the Keys for many years. He knows a great deal about rehab and mental illness. He seems to share my view that the homeless problem cannot be solved, but only somewhat managed.