Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/325356
Even when we can make a case, we cannot find a mental health bed," Barwin continued. "Florida is 49th or 50th in its contribution to mental health services." Mayor Willie Shaw responded, "We have a third category, the drug-addicted fraction. First Step is bursting at the seams. Is anybody looking beyond the immediate [needs]?" Vice Mayor Susan Chapman recounted a recent visit to Gillespie Park around noon. "I saw 45 people inebriated on something. Just 10 days ago, The New York Times had a piece about homelessness increasing in San Antonio. Are we coming up with any solution that will help our community?" she asked. San Antonio is Marbut's home, where he started the first of several come-as-you-are shelters and began his homelessness consul- tancy. One of the shelters he recommended is in Pinellas County (Safe Harbor), but both St. Petersburg and Clearwater are reporting an increase in the "visibly homeless," the cat- egory Marbut claims his shelters reduce. PENDULUM SWING On June 23, the City and County commissions are scheduled for their third joint meeting focused on homelessness and vagrancy. It actually seems as though that one will be the fourth such session, because one joint meet- ing on another topic was "hijacked" for more than three hours by people's public comments about the impact of downtown homelessness on their lives and businesses. A panel including Police Chief Bernadette DiPino (left) and Sheriff Tom Knight (right) addressed the City and County commissions on April 1. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader June 6, 2014 Page 25