MHS To Relocate Homeless From Cleveland To Lakewood

[Bill Call]

Mental Health Services will seek to relocate homeless clients from Cleveland to Lakewood:

http://blog.cleveland.com/lakewoodsunpo ... r_hom.html

MHS has not updated its website to reflect the fact that Kingsway Manor does not meet federal requirements for housing the homeless:

http://www.mhs-inc.org/ph02.asp

According to this Kingsway is associated with the Sisters of Charity:
http://www.socfdncleveland.org/OurFocus ... fault.aspx

I have requested some additional information from MHS. Mr. Eric Morse was kind enough to offer to answer my questions. I’ll post the questions and answers when they become available.

Here is the email conversation at this point:

________________________________________
From: Eric Morse
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 11:10 AM
To: Bill Call
Subject: RE: Bonnieview
Okay. I will work on it and get back to you.

Eric Morse, LISW
Chief Operating Officer

MHS
1744 Payne Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

www.mhs-inc.org
________________________________________
From: Bill Call
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:43 AM
To: Eric Morse
Subject: RE: Bonnieview

I prefer answers in writing.

I understand that you might not have the answers to all of the questions. If you cannot answer a particular question just indicate that after the question. I'm not going to hound you for answers.

I might post your answers on the Lakewood Observer web site or submit an article for publication. The entire community will then have an opportunity to see your responses. If I decide to do either you will be notified in advance and have an opportunity to review what I post or publish. Your organization does a great deal of good work which I have supported in the past. I have no desire to make your job any harder. However, I would like some answers.

I understand that you are very busy. I don't have any particular deadline. If you can provide the answers you have within the next month or so that works for me.

Bill Call
Lakewood

________________________________________
From: Eric Morse
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:09 AM
To: Bill Call
Subject: RE: Bonnieview
This is a very extensive list. Would you like to meet and discuss your concerns? Are there other neighbors who may have similar concerns that would like to meet as a group? Some of your questions I will not be able to answer but I would like to get to the root of your concern to see if there is information I can provide.

Eric Morse, LISW
Chief Operating Officer

MHS
1744 Payne Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

www.mhs-inc.org
________________________________________
From: Bill Call
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 8:04 AM
To: Eric Morse
Subject: RE: Bonnieview

I have attached a list of questions. I prefer answers in writing because it avoids confusion and saves time.

Thanks,

Bill Call

________________________________________
From: Eric Morse
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 2:09 PM
To: Bill Call
Subject: Re: Bonnieview
I am. How can I help you?
Eric Morse

----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Call >
To: Eric Morse
Sent: Thu Jul 16 13:28:55 2009
Subject: Bonnieview

I have some questions about Mental Health Services relocation of clients from Tremont to Lakewood. Are you the person with the answers? If not who is?

Thanks

Bill Call

[Richard Cole]

Bill:

Did you go to the community meeting set up by the City? Kevin Butler, the Mayor and representatives from MHS, Oaktree Manor Management and the other Housing Agency involved (name escapes me) were in attendance and gave informative speaches (spin?) on what is happening and why.

It was held in June and the indication was that leases had been signed and that occupancy would begin immediately, with one unit being leased by MHS to be used as an office. The Mayor did not seem at all pleased with the process.

I think it would be good if Kevin Butler (Oaktree Manor is in his ward) gave an update from the City perspective.

[Kevin Butler]

I appreciate that Bill made such an extensive inquiry to Mental Health Services. Eric Morse of MHS has been forthcoming with information in the past and I hope that continues.

This information is from an email I received from Mr. Morse regarding Oak Tree Manor:

There are approximately 30 tenents who are relocating to Oak Tree Manor from a building in Tremont. All 30 have individual HUD vouchers and have a lease with Vanguard Property Management. MHS will have an office on site to provide what we refer to as “Housing Case Management”. The purpose of our service is to help people with disabling conditions remain in independent housing. We will have staff on site 24 hours a day. All tenants have been living independently for the last two years. They have varying types and levels of disabilities but are all receiving treatment and can function independently.

This is not a half-way house or a residential treatment facility[;] it is permanent supportive housing. There are no plans to have more than 30 apartments out of the 70 apartments at Oak Tree Manor. There will not be an outpatient clinic on-site, our services are community based. The Outpatient services we provide will continue to be provided at our Downtown office at 1744 Payne Ave.

I have heard of one tenant being involved in a petty theft from St. James Church since he moved in. (He stole a statue, which was recovered.) Other than providing those bits of information, I have no update. I'm looking forward to receiving the information Bill has requested.

[Christopher Bindel]

I don’t know a whole lot about this situation; however I do know someone who lives in Oak Tree Manor with her very young son. She said that all of a sudden she started noticed a bunch of new people in the building that she had never seen before and that she didn’t know why but she felt very uncomfortable around them. At one point when she was out walking with her son on Bonnieview she was stopped by a person who lives on the street and asked her if she lived in the building. When she told them yes they asked her what she thought about the MHS tenets moving in. She was confused and asked for clarification. It turns out someone notified everyone in the neighborhood that these people would be moving there, except for those who actually lived in the building. She is currently looking for a new place.

[Danielle Masters]

There are mentally ill people living in Lakewood already. I can personally guarantee it. Trust me they haven't chosen to be mentally ill, it's not something one would choose, they are probably very grateful to have a place to live, grateful for some help. I'm beginning to wonder just who is welcome in Lakewood any longer.

[Gary Rice]

It is my opinion, personally experienced, that a number of residents of Lakewood, (as well as a great many other places historically) had track records of being exceedingly unkind and even perhaps, cruel to persons having "differences".

For this reason, national laws were enacted to protect people having exceptionalities.

Growing up myself, having multiple "differences" and experiencing first-hand the cruelty and alienation that the world can dole out, I dedicated an entire career to special education.

Working over the years with a great many people having similar exceptionalities to those mentioned in this half-way house discussion, I can tell you without reservation that I'd rather live near many of them- than near some of the people who have so bloviatingly pontificated fear and elitism on this 'deck over the past few years.

Ah well, as was pointed out to me long ago...Sooner or later, virtually everyone will have "exceptionalities", if they are lucky and live long enough. Ironically, it has also been my experience that some of those who experience problems later in life are so often the same ones who cry the loudest for help when their turn comes.

What a world. It's not just Lakewood, Danielle.

What did Jesus say?

Something like this, I believe...

As ye do unto the least of these, ye do unto me...

Back to the banjo...(sigh)

[Danielle Masters]

As ye do unto the least of these, ye do unto me.

This is a mantra I try to live myself.

I should say though this one hits home for me. I am not ashamed to say I have a severe mental illness and have had several stays in mental hospitals through the years, some very recently. I am lucky that I have a family and many friends that support me and good doctors that help me with medication and therapy even though I have no insurance. I consider myself very fortunate because without the help that I have I could be one of the people that some of you don't want in your backyard.

I do have to wonder, now that you know just a small part of my history do you worry about me? Will you cringe when you see me walking down the sidewalk?

Instead of making this another case of NIMBY, perhaps we should use this as an opportunity to educate the community on mental illness. Perhaps the community should welcome this group and help these people succeed, after all they deserve a chance to shine.

[Richard Cole]

Transititional housing, as a model to integrate homeless people with disabilities, is a model with a track history of success.

The process that MHS seems to have followed in establishing leases with the property management company that manages Oak Tree Manor seems at odds with their Mission Statement, that reads in part "We achieve our mission through principled governance, careful design of organizational processes, and responsiveness to community needs."

[Gary Rice]

Danielle,

God bless you.

It's one thing to bravely endure a condition of some kind. That takes courage and determination.

But then, some people, some very BLESSED people go one better. They are able to bear witness, and to help others to achieve a more profound insight, and therefore a better life, through the lens of their own personal experience.

I believe you just did this.

Wow.

Where was that banjo?

[Stan Austin]

Danielle--- Thank you for sharing with us your personal situation. It takes guts and self assurance to put out to the LO Deck your experiences. It serves to elevate us all.
I can only offer my 35 plus years experience in dealing with Lakewood's efforts to deal with issues that upset our daily lives.
That experience has taught me that the best way to "deal with" , "handle", whatever with these issues is to have public discussions. In this day and age, that means online, although good old mail nitrification is good, too.
Gary serves to constantly remind us of our use of inflammatory language. I have used it myself, without proper consideration, on recent threads.
But----- Lakewood HAS succeeded in dealing with controversial issues because deep down, we talk to each other and, in fact we seek vigorous discussions, not Wassilla avoidance.
Stan

[Danielle Masters]

Bill, would you mind providing us with the list of questions that were asked? It would help me at least to understand your concerns.

And Stan I agree conversation is good. I just hope it's not full of misconceptions and prejudices.

[Charlie Page]

I have no problem with mentally ill, people with other disabilities or other life situations living in Lakewood. However if they, collectively as a group or groups, start sucking the scarce resources of our City, especially in these tough economic times, that’s where I begin to have a problem.

Scarce resources can be defined as money, requiring an above average or excessive number of visits by police/fire/EMS, burdening our court system, etc.

Having said that, are you taxpayers ready to shoulder the burden when the City comes knocking on your door for more tax dollars, in part to support these groups?

Keep in mind our schools need to pass a bond issue to complete Phase III and, at some future point, an operating levy.

We can all pat ourselves on the back for being so accepting but are you ready to step up to the plate, as a City, and open your wallet if needed?

[Gary Rice]

In the first place, although each individual's situation is different, people in these types of situations tend to have multiple support services already in place, often provided through county resources.

Additionally, Lakewood currently receives about 2 million dollars annually in HUD funding that my former committee members in the Community Development Block Grant Committee review. These funds can assist our community in dealing with questions like these.

I think as well, that statistics will bear out my opinion that fears about a great many things here would be unfounded.

[Danielle Masters]

So Charlie where should these people go? I guess out of sight out of mind. *geesh*

Should we get rid of old people in Lakewood too? These use up a lot of services. I often see ambulences outside of the westerly. I guess though old people are okay though because almost everyone gets old, and luckily not everyone has a mental illness.

How about kids? They use a ton of services, we have to educate them and we can't even make them work.

Exactly what group is best for Lakewood? Young single people who pay taxes but use very few city services.

Our new motto "Lakewood, we only want the young healthy tax payers"

[ryan costa]

it is the teenagers that are usually the problem. A small portion of teenagers. Teenagers and adolescents who act like the worst teenagers. not the handicapped. this is an idea i believe most people can get behind. it is b-i-p-a-r-t-i-s-a-n.