News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Monday, community partners and Alpena County officials are seen discussing homelessness in Alpena and brainstorming solutions.

ALPENA — On Monday, community partners met with Alpena County officials to discuss the homelessness issue in Alpena and talk about ways to “get results.”

Meeting attendees all agreed that homelessness and mental health are mutual issues that play a major role in the crisis that the community is facing. Both issues inform the other and further exacerbate the crisis.

Brendan Maroney, a social worker at the Salvation Army, stated that a significant number of individuals released from the Inpatient Psychiatric Program at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena (also known as Pointe East) end up homeless, especially if they do not have a stable environment to return to after being released.

Jesse Osmer, Alpena County administrator, said that though Alpena County does not want to turn people away, there is only so much that they can provide.

“I don’t mean to turn those people out, but we’re not a wealthy community. We are not Traverse City,” Osmer said. “We need to take care of our community.”

Maroney stated that the Salvation Army, just last week, received requests from two individuals from Detroit and Grand Rapids to pay for campsites in Alpena.

“There’s just so many different leaks right now that we have to plug off in order to solve this problem,” Osmer said.

Lenny Avery, Target Alpena economic development coordinator, said that he doesn’t want to see money thrown at the issue without any progress.

“What frustrates me is that everybody makes these meetings … a ‘coalition to end homelessness’ … I don’t see results,” Avery said. “I see a lot of talk and I’ve stopped attending these community meetings because I see a lot of talk.”

He added that he is concerned that if homelessness is not tackled in Alpena, homeless individuals who are struggling with mental illnesses and are not properly treated may pose a public safety threat in the future.

“I’m not a doomsayer,” Avery said, adding, “If we don’t fix this, we’re going to be on national news, just like Traverse City.”

It is well established among authorities that homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse are intertwined. Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith told The News that he believes those issues go “hand in hand.”

Though mental illness does not imply that an individual will commit crimes, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that two in five individuals incarcerated in the United States have a history of mental illness.

To combat the homelessness issue, and to prevent a public safety risk, Avery said one of two things have to happen: either ask for more community philanthropic support or consider proposing a millage.

“The other option, which is the nuclear option … which I don’t think this community is going to support, is a millage,” Avery said. “Here’s what people are going to say against that: ‘If we give you money for this, this is going to increase people to come here because now the funds are here.'”

Avery said that in the alternative, if funds are siphoned off, individuals seeking philanthropic services will go elsewhere.

“They see it as a moral failing,” Avery added. “You did something wrong to make yourself homeless.”

Christina Kihn, All Saints Center of Charity director, said that homelessness is a pressing issue in the community and in order for it to get better, community partners have to work together to reach solutions.

Kihn told The News that homelessness is a “hard issue” and it is difficult for some individuals to think about.

“That is a big issue and we can not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people who are homeless in Alpena,” Kihn said. “We need people to understand the enormity of the situation.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.