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Homeless Services Center Reads Homeless Dead List, Restricts Services Further
As described in earlier stories, Executive Director Monica Martinez is increasing the pressure on homeless people by cutting their access to the Homeless Services Center during the day (unless they're volunteering, or "part of a program"), apparently refusing to give information to the courts that the Center was full so that the homeless can defend themselves in court unless they're "part of a program", and sending out clean-up and policing patrols around the HSC to "discourage loitering" to placate the homeless-hostile Harvey West Neighbors Association and Take Back Santa Cruz.
The Homeless Services Center today is having a memorial for those who died homeless in Santa Cruz throughout 2010. And on Xmas day, there will be a scaled-down meal there for the community. This meal was traditionally held at the Vet's Hall on Thanksgiving and Xmas, but due to the City and County collusion in closing the Vet's Hall in January--reportedly under pressure from Vets-hostile building manager Tim Bratton, it is being held off at the HSC.
Pastor Dennis Adams holds regular Sunday meals at the HSC at noon. He previously hosted an outdoor meal on Pacific Avenue, which the Downtown Association drove to the Town Clock, and finally to its more distant location.
Ronee Curry gives out burritos and socks (while they last) each Sunday afternoon around 2 PM in front of Borders on Pacific Avenue (until she's driven away by the Downtown Association).
Last year's homeless death toll in the county was initially 45+, later amended to more than 55
See "Unsafe to be Homeless in Santa Cruz" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/19/18633184.php
Songs about this issue sung in front of Mayor Coonerty's Bookshop Santa Cruz last year resulted in a city prosecution and $250 fines for the singers. See "Sing a Song, Go to Jail?" at http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/sing-song-go-to-jail.html and http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/downtown-music-by-petula-clark-lyrics.html.
It is a tribute to the failure of the Homeless Services Center's failure to effectively advocate and supply emergency shelter--the overwhelming need of homeless people.
The Shelter provides emergency shelter for less than 15% of the homeless population in the winter (and less than 5% in the summer).
The HSC management (previously Leticia Schwartz and now Monica Martinez) and its Board of Directors (headed by Sally Williams) remained silent when City Council passes laws criminalizing homeless survival activity (like sleeping at night or covering up with protective gear).
Martinez works ever more closely with local NIMBY's and homeless-hostile groups to garner funding for programs while increasingly restricting and "policing" homeless people in and around its center.
(See Sentinel story "Homeless center's new director makes World of Difference" at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_16896094?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com
Attempts to get Martinez to disclose HSC policies have so far run up against a stonewall. See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/06/18665884.php .
Pastor Dennis Adams holds regular Sunday meals at the HSC at noon. He previously hosted an outdoor meal on Pacific Avenue, which the Downtown Association drove to the Town Clock, and finally to its more distant location.
Ronee Curry gives out burritos and socks (while they last) each Sunday afternoon around 2 PM in front of Borders on Pacific Avenue (until she's driven away by the Downtown Association).
Last year's homeless death toll in the county was initially 45+, later amended to more than 55
See "Unsafe to be Homeless in Santa Cruz" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/19/18633184.php
Songs about this issue sung in front of Mayor Coonerty's Bookshop Santa Cruz last year resulted in a city prosecution and $250 fines for the singers. See "Sing a Song, Go to Jail?" at http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/sing-song-go-to-jail.html and http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/downtown-music-by-petula-clark-lyrics.html.
It is a tribute to the failure of the Homeless Services Center's failure to effectively advocate and supply emergency shelter--the overwhelming need of homeless people.
The Shelter provides emergency shelter for less than 15% of the homeless population in the winter (and less than 5% in the summer).
The HSC management (previously Leticia Schwartz and now Monica Martinez) and its Board of Directors (headed by Sally Williams) remained silent when City Council passes laws criminalizing homeless survival activity (like sleeping at night or covering up with protective gear).
Martinez works ever more closely with local NIMBY's and homeless-hostile groups to garner funding for programs while increasingly restricting and "policing" homeless people in and around its center.
(See Sentinel story "Homeless center's new director makes World of Difference" at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_16896094?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com
Attempts to get Martinez to disclose HSC policies have so far run up against a stonewall. See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/06/18665884.php .
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I saw Becks there today, looking smug and unproductive. At least she showed up this year. I was expecting to see you as well, Robert, perhaps flashing a non-disruptive Sieg Heil salute at Monica during the service just to make your presence felt. I tell ya, for people who constantly blame Ryan Coonerty for murdering homeless people, you sure don't seem very concerned about them when they die. Well, it was a good service anyway.
2010 Annual Report on Homeless Deaths
Summary of available data on homeless deaths in Santa Cruz County
For the period December 21, 2009 – December 20, 2010
Santa Cruz County Homeless Persons’ Health Project (HPHP)
A program of the County Health Services Agency, Division of Public Health
Background:
In keeping with a tradition established in 1999, once again this year on December 21st homeless individuals, community and family members, and homeless service providers will come together to honor the lives of those who died while homeless this year. The 2010 Annual Report on Homeless Deaths and our local homeless memorial event represent our community’s twelfth year of collecting data and reporting on homeless deaths across the county.
How data on homeless deaths are collected:
Throughout the year, a public health nurse at HPHP maintains a log of deaths occurring among homeless people in Santa Cruz County. The log includes information on confirmed deaths of HPHP clients, as well as confirmed reports of deaths received from other homeless service organizations, medical providers, and friends or family members of those who have died. The log also includes death certificate data compiled by the County Office of Vital Statistics, and data obtained from the County Public Administrator’s office.
The data available from this process most likely under-represent the number of homeless deaths in the county. Housing status at the time of death is neither well documented nor always easily determined. Also, information on likely factors leading to death is imprecise, and is often unknown at the time of death. For the sake of summarizing the information, we have assigned a single primary contributing factor to each death, but in many cases, there are multiple significant factors that have contributed to an individual’s death.
For this reason the data provided in this summary should not be interpreted as a definitive accounting of deaths among the homeless population in our county. Instead, this reflects our best effort at this time to collect and analyze accurate data on homeless deaths in a way that is meaningful to homeless service providers, to friends and family of those who have died, and to people who are housed and homeless in the community at large.
Discussion of 2010 Homeless Deaths:
The total number of deaths reported this year is 30. The total number of homeless deaths reported in 2009 was 47, and the average number of deaths per year over the preceding nine years (2001-2009) was 34. The average age at death for 2010 was 52. This compares to an average age of 49 at death in Santa Cruz County for homeless individuals during the previous nine-year period. The average age of death for all Americans is 78 and this means that homeless people in our community die nearly 30 years earlier than might otherwise be expected.
Major categories of death for homeless individuals this year included heart and lung disease, both acute and chronic (27%), cancer (17%), hypothermia (13%), acute overdose (10%), GI bleeding (10%), trauma (7%), infection (7%) and trauma (7%). We estimate that alcohol and/or other drug addiction was a primary or contributing factor in at least 18 of the 30 (60%) deaths reported this year.
Homelessness causes, complicates and exacerbates serious health problems and it leads to the premature deaths of thousands of people in our communities across our nation every year. This fact is well documented. Research in the U.S. has shown that homeless persons have up to a threefold increase in mortality when compared to the general population, (Hibbs1994). Studies document an average age of death among homeless populations that ranges from 42 to 52 years, while average life expectancy for most Americans is almost 80 (O’Connell, 2005).
About the Memorial:
Our purpose in preparing and distributing this report at this time of year is two-fold; first to honor and mark the passing of all those who were homeless and died in our community during the last year, and second, to document and increase awareness of the serious negative impact of homelessness on the lives of our fellow community members.
Our memorial service includes a reading of the names of the thirty people who were homeless at death and are reflected in our annual report. The names of formerly homeless individuals who were housed at the time of death will also be read. We continue our tradition of creating and displaying homeless memorial flags with the names, ages and year of death for each homeless or previously homeless person who has died since December 21, 1998. This year that twelve-year total will exceed 440 people.
Nearly all of the people who died were personally known to one of us at HPHP or to one of our colleagues at homeless service organizations throughout the county. We are saddened by their deaths. Each person will be missed. We hope that this information will serve to honor the memory of each person, to guide us in our ongoing efforts to improve the health and quality of life for all who experience homelessness, and to recommit ourselves as a community to ending homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
DEATHS AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
DECEMBER 21, 2009 - DECEMBER 20. 2010
1) TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMELESS DEATHS: 30
2) GENDER:
Male: 24
Female: 6
3) AGE:
under 21 0 41-50 7 over 70 2
21-30 1 51-60 10
31-40 2 61-70 8
average age at death 52
4) RACE:
White: 26
Hispanic 2
Black: 2
5) LOCATION AT TIME OF DEATH:
Outside/Vehicle/storage Area: 12 Santa Cruz 20
Hospital: 11 Watsonville 7
Nursing Facility 4 San Lorenzo Valley 2
Temporary Residence/Motel 3 North County 1
6) LIKELY MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DEATH:
ACUTE SUBSTANCE USE RELATED
- hypothermia/exposure + intoxication 4
- overdose 3
- GI Bleed 3
- cardiac arrhythmia/heart attack 3
- wound infection 1
METABOLIC ILLNESS
- Cancer 5
- cardiopulmonary illnesses 5
- liver/kidney disease 2
- sepsis 1
TRAUMA
- suicide 1
- drowning 1
UNKNOWN: 1
Santa Cruz County Homeless Persons’ Health Project
115-A Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 454-2080
Summary of available data on homeless deaths in Santa Cruz County
For the period December 21, 2009 – December 20, 2010
Santa Cruz County Homeless Persons’ Health Project (HPHP)
A program of the County Health Services Agency, Division of Public Health
Background:
In keeping with a tradition established in 1999, once again this year on December 21st homeless individuals, community and family members, and homeless service providers will come together to honor the lives of those who died while homeless this year. The 2010 Annual Report on Homeless Deaths and our local homeless memorial event represent our community’s twelfth year of collecting data and reporting on homeless deaths across the county.
How data on homeless deaths are collected:
Throughout the year, a public health nurse at HPHP maintains a log of deaths occurring among homeless people in Santa Cruz County. The log includes information on confirmed deaths of HPHP clients, as well as confirmed reports of deaths received from other homeless service organizations, medical providers, and friends or family members of those who have died. The log also includes death certificate data compiled by the County Office of Vital Statistics, and data obtained from the County Public Administrator’s office.
The data available from this process most likely under-represent the number of homeless deaths in the county. Housing status at the time of death is neither well documented nor always easily determined. Also, information on likely factors leading to death is imprecise, and is often unknown at the time of death. For the sake of summarizing the information, we have assigned a single primary contributing factor to each death, but in many cases, there are multiple significant factors that have contributed to an individual’s death.
For this reason the data provided in this summary should not be interpreted as a definitive accounting of deaths among the homeless population in our county. Instead, this reflects our best effort at this time to collect and analyze accurate data on homeless deaths in a way that is meaningful to homeless service providers, to friends and family of those who have died, and to people who are housed and homeless in the community at large.
Discussion of 2010 Homeless Deaths:
The total number of deaths reported this year is 30. The total number of homeless deaths reported in 2009 was 47, and the average number of deaths per year over the preceding nine years (2001-2009) was 34. The average age at death for 2010 was 52. This compares to an average age of 49 at death in Santa Cruz County for homeless individuals during the previous nine-year period. The average age of death for all Americans is 78 and this means that homeless people in our community die nearly 30 years earlier than might otherwise be expected.
Major categories of death for homeless individuals this year included heart and lung disease, both acute and chronic (27%), cancer (17%), hypothermia (13%), acute overdose (10%), GI bleeding (10%), trauma (7%), infection (7%) and trauma (7%). We estimate that alcohol and/or other drug addiction was a primary or contributing factor in at least 18 of the 30 (60%) deaths reported this year.
Homelessness causes, complicates and exacerbates serious health problems and it leads to the premature deaths of thousands of people in our communities across our nation every year. This fact is well documented. Research in the U.S. has shown that homeless persons have up to a threefold increase in mortality when compared to the general population, (Hibbs1994). Studies document an average age of death among homeless populations that ranges from 42 to 52 years, while average life expectancy for most Americans is almost 80 (O’Connell, 2005).
About the Memorial:
Our purpose in preparing and distributing this report at this time of year is two-fold; first to honor and mark the passing of all those who were homeless and died in our community during the last year, and second, to document and increase awareness of the serious negative impact of homelessness on the lives of our fellow community members.
Our memorial service includes a reading of the names of the thirty people who were homeless at death and are reflected in our annual report. The names of formerly homeless individuals who were housed at the time of death will also be read. We continue our tradition of creating and displaying homeless memorial flags with the names, ages and year of death for each homeless or previously homeless person who has died since December 21, 1998. This year that twelve-year total will exceed 440 people.
Nearly all of the people who died were personally known to one of us at HPHP or to one of our colleagues at homeless service organizations throughout the county. We are saddened by their deaths. Each person will be missed. We hope that this information will serve to honor the memory of each person, to guide us in our ongoing efforts to improve the health and quality of life for all who experience homelessness, and to recommit ourselves as a community to ending homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
DEATHS AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
DECEMBER 21, 2009 - DECEMBER 20. 2010
1) TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMELESS DEATHS: 30
2) GENDER:
Male: 24
Female: 6
3) AGE:
under 21 0 41-50 7 over 70 2
21-30 1 51-60 10
31-40 2 61-70 8
average age at death 52
4) RACE:
White: 26
Hispanic 2
Black: 2
5) LOCATION AT TIME OF DEATH:
Outside/Vehicle/storage Area: 12 Santa Cruz 20
Hospital: 11 Watsonville 7
Nursing Facility 4 San Lorenzo Valley 2
Temporary Residence/Motel 3 North County 1
6) LIKELY MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DEATH:
ACUTE SUBSTANCE USE RELATED
- hypothermia/exposure + intoxication 4
- overdose 3
- GI Bleed 3
- cardiac arrhythmia/heart attack 3
- wound infection 1
METABOLIC ILLNESS
- Cancer 5
- cardiopulmonary illnesses 5
- liver/kidney disease 2
- sepsis 1
TRAUMA
- suicide 1
- drowning 1
UNKNOWN: 1
Santa Cruz County Homeless Persons’ Health Project
115-A Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 454-2080
Homeless or not, fully a third of these poor folks die due to drug and alcohol abuse. Some will say this could be due to their being homeless so they use it to medicate, others will say their drug addition or alcoholism caused them to be homeless, so I'll count that issue as a wash.
4 due to hypothermia/exposure while intoxicated
3 overdose 3
1 drowned....while intoxicated on drugs.
...and the 3 GI Bleed likely due to alcoholism.
I guess my thought is this: Housed or not, you can't help an addict who dosen't want helpin. And as such, I don't think it's legit to blame a lack of shelter/bedspace for these deaths.
4 due to hypothermia/exposure while intoxicated
3 overdose 3
1 drowned....while intoxicated on drugs.
...and the 3 GI Bleed likely due to alcoholism.
I guess my thought is this: Housed or not, you can't help an addict who dosen't want helpin. And as such, I don't think it's legit to blame a lack of shelter/bedspace for these deaths.
The following was made available via Becky Johnson's website at http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-memorium-names-of-those-who-died.html
In Memorium: Names of those who died homeless in Santa Cruz County 2010
(names compiled by the Homeless Peoples Health Project, Santa Cruz, Ca.)
Name Age
Lorraine Price 48
David Scott Scotty Stewart 44
Ernesto Diaz 77
John Hudson 61
Linda Romero 62
Rodney Avery 58
Ralph Packebush 51
Louis Matthew Tarantino Jr. 63
Timothy Abreu 58
Jessie Tillie Wiseman 54
David Hickman 52
Maureen Selditz 49
Robert McAfee 69
Stephen Barclay 56
Steven Chioloero 50
Norman Matthews 57
Michael Barker 46
Frank Cruz 69
William Robenalt 49
Linda Auble 61
James Fuller 47
Eric Kinman 52
Jon Forsyth 27
Karen Cook 59
Michael DiVerde 34
Randolph Randy Greenwald 62
Abraham Abe Kelly 40
Frank Enarson 79
Ted Fleming 59
Michael Dolezal 64
Jack Danford 77
Suzanna Farkas 40
Manuel Rocha 59
Diane Hauser 53
Rosalie Lopez 60
William Belyea 53
John Greene 62
Pamela Spires Lee 49
Gary Wall 62
Laura Garcia 44
Sandra Vasseur 26
James Kampsnider 47
Thomas Goodwin 48
In Memorium: Names of those who died homeless in Santa Cruz County 2010
(names compiled by the Homeless Peoples Health Project, Santa Cruz, Ca.)
Name Age
Lorraine Price 48
David Scott Scotty Stewart 44
Ernesto Diaz 77
John Hudson 61
Linda Romero 62
Rodney Avery 58
Ralph Packebush 51
Louis Matthew Tarantino Jr. 63
Timothy Abreu 58
Jessie Tillie Wiseman 54
David Hickman 52
Maureen Selditz 49
Robert McAfee 69
Stephen Barclay 56
Steven Chioloero 50
Norman Matthews 57
Michael Barker 46
Frank Cruz 69
William Robenalt 49
Linda Auble 61
James Fuller 47
Eric Kinman 52
Jon Forsyth 27
Karen Cook 59
Michael DiVerde 34
Randolph Randy Greenwald 62
Abraham Abe Kelly 40
Frank Enarson 79
Ted Fleming 59
Michael Dolezal 64
Jack Danford 77
Suzanna Farkas 40
Manuel Rocha 59
Diane Hauser 53
Rosalie Lopez 60
William Belyea 53
John Greene 62
Pamela Spires Lee 49
Gary Wall 62
Laura Garcia 44
Sandra Vasseur 26
James Kampsnider 47
Thomas Goodwin 48
See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/22/18667405.php for this thread.
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