Chantal Rozmus
My name is Dr. Chantal Rozmus. I am a community psychiatrist, and I am writing to oppose the passage of HSB705. As a community psychiatrist, I cannot stress enough how interconnected substance use, mental health, and homelessness are. The people who live at homeless shelters typically have a history of mental health concerns and/or substance use history. Accessing timely treatment for either condition is almost impossible at this time if you are homeless you have to have a job to pay for gas and rent, you typically can't work without a permanent address, and unfortunately, utilization of substances to selfmedicate serious mental illness is easier to access than medication. This is without the consideration of the bed limits on homeless shelters in general, but also the limited access to mental health and substance use treatment in Iowa. This bill essentially puts another target on the backs of the most vulnerable people in our community, making it even more difficult to move forward.
Print
Permanent Link