Report Sheds Some Light on Homeless Deaths, Lack of Services

The review, which will go before the Board of Supervisors in August, finds that most of those who died had some type of mental illness

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 07.27.2010

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While providing some useful data, a new report detailing homeless deaths in Santa Barbara at times highlights more questions than it provides answers. Commissioned earlier this year by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors after community outcry over an increase in homeless deaths, the report depicts — from the numbers available — a more complete picture of deaths that occurred in 2009.

Social worker Ken Williams approached the county Public Health Department about the issue in 2007. The Homeless Death Review Team was formed, including representatives from the county Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services and the Social Services departments, the Santa Barbara Police Department, Casa Esperanza and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

The review team held its first meeting in October 2007, but it didn’t meet again until last January. In February of this year, county supervisors commissioned a review in response to the deaths that occurred over the winter.

The review, which will go before the supervisors on Aug. 10, looks at the deaths of 45 homeless people. Of the deaths documented, 90 percent were men, and men ages 50 to 59 made up the majority of the cases. Three-quarters of all of the deaths occurred in people ages 40 to 59, regardless of gender, race and ethnicity. Nearly all of the people were U.S. citizens, and six were military veterans.

But the difficulty of gathering data on people who often try to stay invisible is demonstrated throughout the report, especially regarding the lack of information about violence against those who are homeless. The Homeless Death Review Team was asked to look at violence, but information was difficult to collect for several reasons, including that homeless people often don’t report violence through formal channels, and there’s no organized system to gather that data. It’s also difficult to identify whether a person is homeless by reading police and hospital reports, so much of the information on homeless violence is anecdotal.

Williams collected data from January to May of this year for the report, based on his daily work with the homeless and from information forwarded from the police department and Cottage Hospital. During those four months, Williams recorded 39 reports of violence, of which 25 involved assault, five were rape and three were domestic violence.

“Only seven informed Ken that law enforcement was notified, while 17 involved a visit to the emergency room or hospitalization,” states the report, which added that although the information is limited in scope and unvalidated, Williams’ findings represent “a good snapshot of violent experiences reported by people living on the streets.”

As a case in point, some of the causes of death are murky. The report lists natural causes most often, with accidents following next.

“These numbers may be somewhat misleading, however, as 18 percent of the death certificates were unmarked for any manner of death,” according to the report. Twenty percent of the deaths were related to illicit drugs, 18 percent were directly attributed to alcohol, 11 percent were trauma-related, and one death occurred from exposure and hypothermia. There were no homicides listed, although one remains under investigation as a possible homicide.

Another particularly revealing finding shows that nearly 90 percent of the 45 homeless people who died had some type of mental health diagnosis, ranging from adjustment disorder to schizophrenia. However, a majority of those 45 people didn’t make contact with the county’s Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services at any point, even if they were referred by an outside agency to get substance abuse help. ADMHS remains stretched for resources, and that lack of care could have contributed to another number in the report, which shows that drugs and alcohol were most prevalent as either the primary cause or contributing factor to the deaths.

Santa Barbara County’s homeless rate, about 1.5 percent of the population, is higher than the national average, according to the report. A combination of high housing costs, temperate climate and large tourism industry all contribute to growing numbers of homeless.

“Obviously a better job is needed reaching out to the dual diagnosed — those with mental health issues and substance abuse problems,” Williams told Noozhawk on Tuesday, adding that he has recorded 21 deaths so far this year.

The report also outlines a series of studies revealing that mortality rates are higher among the homeless. One study even called areas of homeless “death zones” because they are so much more likely to exceed normal mortality rates. In light of that, Williams said a solution to homelessness takes on a moral dimension.

“I am hoping this study will spur the community to reach out with compassion to those who were forced to the streets due to physical or mental problems, returning war vets or the recession,” he said.

The Board of Supervisors will review and discuss the study at the Aug. 10 meeting.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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» John Q on 07.27.10 @ 08:31 PM

An outcry? More like Ken Williams whining the loudest. The city should not put in anymore money towards the homeless.

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» John Q on 07.27.10 @ 08:36 PM

Another thought….homeless deaths will increase as more and more homeless come to Santa Barbara thanks to this being turned into a sanctuary city for homeless by the likes of Helene Schneider and Ken Williams. Just like the liberal establishment to look at the surface cause of problems and not the deep underlying truth of the matter.

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» Anonymous on 07.27.10 @ 09:19 PM

Of course the % of homeless is higher here.  And it is NOT because of high housing costs.  These people (for the most part) are moving here to be homeless.  They are not long term residents who wind up on the street.  If we keep building low cost housing and babysitting them, the problem will get worse.  Then, their panhandling will drive more tourists away, and we will loose even more tax dollars. 

These people should be give a 1 week supply of the medications they need and assisted in getting to their hometowns where their friends, family and loved ones can take proper care of them.

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» Danny on 07.28.10 @ 06:50 AM

It’s funny how the continued generalizations and vitriol spewed by certain commenters sound as desperate as they are ignorant: “Helene Schneider and Ken Williams creating a homeless sanctuary;” “Most homeless are not from here;” and my favorite, “Send them back to their family and friends.” Wow! I wonder who has a more legitimate argument here, the commission that spent 2-3 years researching this issue, or John Q the “liberal’ basher who never seems to have data to back up his ridiculous comments?

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» JustBobF on 07.28.10 @ 08:22 AM

I think this might be a national problem, too big for any one city to contend with…there are problems all over, from Los Angeles to San Francisco to our little Santa Barbara.

We used to lock people up in mental institutions…how do we help these people?

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» JustBobF on 07.28.10 @ 08:45 AM

To John Q and Anonymous,

How cold and heartless. People are dying at a very young age. Apparently 90% have mental illness and probably could never properly take care of themselves…probably why they are homeless, and all you have to say is the city should not spend one penny on them?

I don’t know how you were raised, I really don’t. It is very sad to think that some people feel that way.

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» John Q on 07.28.10 @ 11:18 AM

Liberals, attack the messenger and offer no solutions. Typical.

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» LookingWest on 07.29.10 @ 06:27 AM

Here’s the rub: 90% of those homeless who died on the streets have mental illness of one form or another (I am surprised it is not 100% since living on the streets would be a form of mental illness) but there is no way of forcing anyone inside or to take medication. Here’s another: there’s not the money for the treatment, yet County personnel pensions are huge—- city pensions, as well. How about pushing on some of these public “servants” who retire at 50 or thereabouts at near 90% of their salaries to disgorge some of that money so as to help other county residents?

It’s not likely given the state of the economy or the increasing public recognition of how much money is being paid to public trough employees, past and present, to expect the taxpayers to come up with more, whether an increased sales tax for the jail or for those truly needing help, the homeless. Let’s see the BOS begin to work on the present outgo before looking for more—-

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» John Q on 07.29.10 @ 10:27 AM

Pension are too huge but at least they contribute something.

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» John E. on 07.30.10 @ 02:14 AM

As a person that went from a very well paying job to having to become disabled in Santa Barbara I have a unique perspective here. First off I am on SSDI so I receive $704 claiming homeless. If I where able to get a section 8 housing voucher I would climb to $850 a month. I am born and raised in SB.

Now we do have many shelters in SB that offer assistance but at the same time you can’t force some one inside. Remember back 15 to 20 years ago some Politicians got the bright idea to close the state mental hospitals. That is issue #1. Number #2 is that SB has a great weather pattern great services and tons of rich folks for pan handlers. You start adding these things together and you see why SF, LA, SD, OC, and Santa Monica are so forth are riddled with homeless.

What to do about it? Is there really anything we can do about it in reality. Close the services and then you have massive amounts of people on the streets instead of shelters. Out reach is pretty much a joke. Reality is the laws of attrition work in nasty ways but at the same time being on the street is not a nice place to be nor a non violent place either. Lastly no one in their right mind is going to live on a bench unless that is a complete last resort. I will say the system does push you that way.

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» Montemayor on 07.30.10 @ 01:20 PM

Thank goodness for good people like Ken Williams who has provided excellent statistics to the County Board of Supervisors in the tracking of this tragic issue.

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