Public records show that more than 700 homeless people are arrested each month on a variety of charges that are, a county official said, often tied to homelessness itself, even when they’re not directly related to camping.
Poverty and Class
“The system is not set up for us,” says Essence Graves, a longtime social worker.
Rising food costs in Oakland are forcing low-income families to choose cheap, unhealthy food, worsening chronic health issues like diabetes and hypertension. Aid programs fall short, and local investment is lacking.
Watch highlights from Spotlight PA’s April 10 forum on the opioid crisis in Reading, Pa.
From 2011–2021, 300,000+ kids lost a parent to overdoses. Despite billions in opioid settlements, grandparents caring for them receive little support.
The severity of youth mental health needs intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more children exhibiting extreme behaviors.
Heather Preston, an Iowa mom of five adopted sons with behavioral health needs, struggles to find care due to waitlists, low Medicaid funding, and a lack of therapists across the state.
Immigrant day laborers in Oakland face food insecurity, low pay, and deportation fears, while vital aid from Street Level Health Project is threatened by major funding cuts and political pressure.
A cash-assistance program for expectant moms and babies, which first began in Flint more than a year ago, is growing its reach to hundreds more families across Michigan.
Small communities have the same addiction problems as big ones but they often have far fewer resources, with people spread out over large areas.