Approximately 25 percent of the U.S. homeless population suffers from “severe and persistent” mental illness, yet many never have access to the stability of care they need in order to survive, according to the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. But for the 56 residents cared for by the Helen Ross McNabb Center in one of the nonprofit’s five homes across Chattanooga, there is opportunity.
The fifth of those homes, located along Bailey Avenue, was just renovated through a BlueCross BlueShield sponsorship to fix severe issues with the home and make it inhabitable for 10 now-residents.
“It wasn’t just cosmetic, it needed foundation work, plumbing and electrical repair to make it a safe space for our residents to live,” said Helen Ross McNabb Center Senior Director Gayle Lodato. “And [the residents] would otherwise be homeless; they have nowhere else to go. Many struggle with their daily living skills and activities. We’re able to provide them structure, some oversight, and our ultimate goal is to have them be successful members of society.”
Untreated mental illness costs the country at least $444 billion per year, Lodato said. Repeated jail time for minor infractions, hospitalizations for untreated problems and other societal issues are often symptomatic of a larger issue, she explained.
“When that happens, it crowds those spaces … and it costs us as a society a lot,” said Lodato. “Jail isn’t really where they belong. With the proper support, we can make sure they have their medication, we can get them to other medical providers aside from the hospital for minor issues.