Opinion: What homelessness in Centre County looks like, and how the system is not working

One month and 18 days. That’s how long my son was homeless in Centre County this past year.

Frank has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and has refused all treatment for about a decade. He used to see a psychiatrist and take prescribed medications until becoming diabetic and convincing himself that the “happy pills” interfered with his new prescriptions.

The homeless nightmare began when the house Frank rented was sold. His mother and I put him up in local motels on a rotating basis for all but one night, when we tried to force him to take advantage of the only resource that responded to his crisis, Out of the Cold: Centre County. Frank refused to consider a cot from them for fear of contracting COVID-19. Instead, he wandered the streets of State College during the day, and worked out all night at a local gym. When I rented him a motel room the following afternoon, he crashed in exhaustion and slept for 16 hours.

The system here is not working. I called every mental health resource I could think of during Frank’s ordeal. Everyone I spoke with was compassionate, empathetic and concerned, but only Out in the Cold offered meaningful help. One told me they would only admit medicated individuals. Various other agencies and organizations were hamstrung by rules and regulations. Essentially, Frank would have to be displaying homicidal, suicidal or other violent behaviors to receive emergency assistance. He is a good-natured person who doesn’t meet those criteria, but he does have boundary issues that make him a difficult roommate.

The State College-Centre County mental health task force delivered its final report in November, well before Frank found himself without an address. The report issued 21 recommendations to guide the borough and county into developing a workable program. The one that catches my eye is recommendation seven: “Identify and develop additional community resources available for those not held for mental health treatment, including those who refuse inpatient services.”

Since Frank is an adult, no one can have him committed to a facility for observation or force him to accept counseling. Frank lacks insight into his illness, a seemingly impaired awareness of his condition, so he will never seek psychological help on his own. He suffers from logorrhea and rarely lets the listener get a word in edgewise. That he is delusional is apparent soon after he starts his nonstop talking. He is friends with all the living presidents and they used to stop by regularly at his home. Among those who considered buying the property were Prince Harry and Ringo Starr. I could go on and on.

By even a conservative estimate, there are more than half a million homeless people in America at any one time. Maybe half are in the midst of a mental health crisis. In Centre County, the Point-in-Time (PIT) count found four unsheltered homeless individuals here last year. But there were an additional 124 homeless sheltered in an emergency shelter, transitional housing unit or Homeless First program. And how many others were unnoticed as they couch surfed at a friend or relative’s place or were otherwise hidden from the PIT count?

Frank is a good person and worked hard as a commercial truck driver until he descended into mental illness. He’s a bright and capable mechanic who still helps out anyone who asks for his skill. He survives on Social Security Disability Insurance. Fortunately, my wife found a rental unit Frank could afford in town. His struggle continues but at least he has a roof over his head. His sister, mother and I make sure he never wants for food. And he keeps his place clean and tidy enough for a presidential visit.

The next time you encounter a homeless person, remember that he or she is someone’s son or daughter, and deserves your respect. Don’t look down on them ... it’s hard to feel good about yourself under such circumstances. If you can afford it, buy the individual a sandwich and listen to their story if you have the time. You may make a new friend in the process.