If the Amherst police chief and business leaders have their way, the town’s homeless shelter would go “dry” next year, closing its doors to people under the influence of drugs and alcohol without widening any safety net.
For years, Craig’s Place has been one of the few shelters in the region with a so-called “wet” policy. This means that people who stay at the 22-bed shelter don’t have to be sober or drug-free to have a place to sleep.
As the nonprofit based at the First Baptist Church tweeted earlier this month, “The goal behind wet shelters is to bring alcoholics off the streets. No one deserves to die from a New England winter.”
Police Chief Scott Livingstone says this policy, coupled with a large number of free meals available throughout the week that draw people to town, is causing an increase in police responses to the shelter and an uptick in homeless people hanging out in downtown Amherst. Disturbances among homeless people are up, as are the number of people on the street drinking alcohol.
The chief is making the recommendations based on “preliminary discussions” with town officials and business leaders. He wants Craig’s Place leaders to decide to go dry as of next year before the shelter closes at the end of this month.
What’s the rush, given that the shelter won’t open again for five months?
A decision to go dry – a mistake, in our opinion – should only be made after larger discussions take place. Those discussions should lead to clear alternatives to help homeless people climb out of the cycle of addiction, and they should include plans to keep all involved safe.
The request faces an uphill battle with the shelter’s board. Executive Director Rebekah Wilder said there is no intention to change the facility from being a wet shelter. While guests cannot bring alcohol or drugs inside with them, consuming liquor or narcotics prior to arrival will not deny their entry.
Instead, people’s behavior is the deciding factor for them to stay.
Not only does the town have no control or funding over the shelter, but Wilder told the Gazette recently that residents support policies that combat homelessness. A “behavior-based” shelter, as Wilder calls Craig’s Place, meets that goal.
It’s hard to believe changing to a dry shelter will make these problems vanish. Public drunkenness and disturbances are an issue in Northampton as well, where the Interfaith Winter Shelter is “dry.” As the only wet homeless shelter in the region, Amherst provides an important option for a vulnerable population. Other shelters refer intoxicated people to Amherst rather than just sending them out into the cold.
It’s important to have this option, but safety must be paramount for those who stay in the Amherst shelter, for volunteers who help care for them and for the larger community.
We appeal to Wilder and the shelter’s board to find ways to curb some of the problems that concern the town and police. Having a new site director in place well before the shelter re-opens this fall – the position was filled late in the current 2015-16 season – may help.
The program may also invest further in the work of case managers and other support services for clients, including finding enough staff to keep a trailer where meals and services are provided at earlier hours open for an entire season.
These specially trained employees need to be more than college-aged students looking to make some money. They must know how to help people with substance abuse and addiction issues.
Finally, Craig’s Place might want to study placing a cap on how long guests can stay. Having no limits provides less incentive for people to try to get back on their feet. This could include expanding options for transitioning from shelter life to housing.
Craig’s Place is a temporary home of last resort for troubled people, some of whom are held fast by addiction. No policy change should increase the risks they face in life.