(The Center Square) – The Discovery Institute will soon unveil its policy plan that recommends “treatment-first” solutions to addressing the homelessness crisis in Seattle.
The organization recommends the following immediate actions for King County and Seattle to implement:
Allocate all unrestricted funds towards treatment and recovery programs in order to help homeless people reach self-sufficiency. Redirect 20% of homelessness and housing funding towards emergency treatment responses. Create two clinical tracks that service providers would be required to align with.
The policy plan broadly centers on a treatment-first approach. That contrasts King County and Seattle’s current housing-first philosophy.
In fact, the Discovery Institute’s policy plan blames three policies in place that have worsened the homelessness crisis: halting treatment requirements, redistributing funds away from an emergency response and towards permanent supportive housing, and utilizing a “one-size-fits-all” approach to various Seattle populations with varying needs.