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Show Oden Mayor Disagrees With Council Keport The Salt Lake Tribune, Monday January 27, 1986 B7 Many Mayors Blame Homeless Woes on Federal Social Cuts By Virginia Robieheaux Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON The unveiling of a report by the U S. Conference of Mayors on the plight of the homeless in Salt Lake City and 24 other of the nation's major cities has many mayors laying the blame on federal cuts in social programs. Or in the blunt words of Mayor Harold Washington of Chicago, who joins Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer Depaulis as a member of USMCs task force on the homeless, the fed Handling Mentally eral government sucking up and sacking up" all the federal funding sources as computers decide "where to excise X number of dollars." Mayor Robert A. Madsen of Ogden, here for USMCs midwinter meeting which continues through Friday, disagrees, saying it's the counties and states that need to bear more of the burden for providing for the homeless who ideally would be given job training in the daytime before returning to the shelters at night. Having such a "teaching time" for transients, 111 however, he concedes, might be unrealistically expensive considering how so many, in his judgement, don t really want to work anyway, but to Lfe- pursue a carefree, "long-hair" RelcJed Story, 11-- 12 style wherein essentials are provided for them. With shelters for the homeless, in his words, a hotly contested issue" in Ogden, as far as where the facilities are built and who cares for and finances the emergency services, Mayor Madsen notes that the homeless in his city "go to the shelters for the evenings, but at daytime, are turned out of the shelters to the streets. These same private agencies that feed homeless with marvelous kindness, may need our help in finding a way to assist with daytime training to motivate them. But that's an expensive thing, and not being approached in any way. We're just trying to keep them warm and alive and and Parole Violators Board of Youth Corrections Amends Policies By Anne Palmer Tribune Staff Writer The state Board of Youth Corrections has amended its administrative policies for the handling of mentally ill youth offenders and for youth who violate conditions for parole. The board also gave its approval recently to legislation which will be introduced to the 1986 Legislature, proposing the establishment of a Youth Parole Authority comprised of citizen members. The authority is presently made up of three citizen members and four Division of Youth Corrections staff members. Restructuring the authority would allow the cases of youth offenders those between the ages of 10 and 21 to be heard before a wholly impartial panel, a Youth Parole Authority spokesman said. "In any situation where there is the interest of liberty at stake, it is imperative to have checks and balances . . . and one of the due process issues is that individuals have the opportunity to be heard before an impartial panel, said Administrative Officer William C. Nelsen. Mr. Nelsen said board members felt "it was important to ensure fairness in the system, to have representation from the community rather than from within the Division of Youth Corrections. To safeguard the rights of youth offenders who may require treatment for mental illness, the board adopted procedures for voluntary and involuntary hospitalization of such individuals. The policy ensures mentally ill offenders will be afforded due process before being placed in mental health facilities. Prior to admission, officials will be required to submit applications describing the alleged conduct or behavior of potentially ill youth offenders to the Youth Parole Authority. A report must also be submitted by an attending physician who has examined the youth for mental illness. If the authority finds that the youth s mental condition and the immediate danger he poses to himself, others or property requires involuntary hospitalization pending a hearing, the authority may order the youth to be immediately and tempo-rarilplaced in a mental health facility pending a hearing. A report must be given to the authority by the mental health facility within 72 hours of the youths admission, assessing whether the youth is mentally ill and whether the facility is able to provide appropriate care. The Youth Parole Authority will then decide whether to accept the application. If the application is not dismissed and the youth is involuntarily hospitalized, legal counsel will be appointed to represent the youth, as well as an independent psychiatrist or psychologist to examine him and to report at a hearing on behalf of the offender within 15 days of hospitalization. The youth, the youths attorney, and the youths parents or legal guardian will be given the opportunity to testify at the hearing. The authority will order involuntary hospitalization if evidence indicates that the youth has a psychiatric disorder which substantially impairs his mental, emotional, behavioral or related functioning, or if y due to illness or dependency, the youth poses an immediate danger to himself or others which may include the inability to provide the basic necessities of life. Youth offenders may also be hospitalized if it is determined there is no less restricting alternative which can provide adequate and appropriate treatment. Mr. Nelsen said the policy was established because the authority has the responsibility toward its parolees and the type of confinement they receive. If it is recommended that the youth be placed in a mental health facility, there should be extra steps in the procedure to ensure proper placement, he said He stated the policy was established not in response to any recent case, but to establish guidelines before the need arises. The action taken by the board regarding the suspension of parole dates for violators of disciplinary rules alters the "rescission" hearing Youth Parole Authoritys policy by allowing youth offenders to be represented by a person of choice other than legal counsel. Youths who were asked to appear before the authority because of alleged misconduct were previously represented by attorneys. clean But we re not answering their real problem of why they go " In Ogden, notes Mayor Madsen, three different organizations are carthe Salvation ing for the homeless Army, Rescue Mission and St. Anne's ecumenical center. "With there really being a problem the past few winters. You'd think transients wouldn't visit during temperature-probletimes. But today's transients arent the old hobo type we think of beside the railroad tracks. Most of the transients we see are the 30 to e young men. Their lifestyle is to move, and the climate doesn't seem to make a difference. Many of them claim they are looking for work, But many have severe emotional and mental problems. And some are physically strong, but like the roving life, he said. Part of the reason that Ogden residents are so reluctant to have shelters for the homeless in their neighborhoods, says the mayor, is that nine recent murders in Ogden have been associated with transients. They do increase our crime problem, and I've increased the police presence near the transient shelters to give the policemen more visibility in the areas. As for liquor being harder to come by in Utah than in other states, because of the large nondrinking LDS Church presence, Mayor Madsen says that hasnt daunted the alcohol-druproblem that goes with many of the g transients. They have no problem getting as much alcohol as they want in Utah. As I say, it's complicated, because almost every one of them is either pursuing a lifestyle, dependent on drugs or alcohol, or bothered with emotional or mental problems." In any case, holds Mayor Madsen, "the counties and states should get involved and not leave it to the cities. There are no city-levfunds to work from, but typically, just volunteer contnbitions. For the social-welfartypes, Utah state law mandates the counties and state to handle the problems, not the cities " Mayor Herb Mocol of Mankato, Minn, (population 30,000) near Minneapolis, says that private sector help for the homeless should be encouraged, but with the volunteer efforts assisted by some type of government assistance. With Mankatos now on the downnturn, Mayor Mocol recalls that even when prosperity prevailed a couple of years back, he was unpleasantly surprised to learn that we had homeless people living under the' Main Street Bridge of the Minnesota River. Like Mayor Madsen, Mayor Mocol, a member of USMCs Committee on the Aging, observes that in his city, as well as throughout the nation, the homeless problem seems to be concentrated among younger transients, rather than the elderly or other segments of society. e y Agency Will Donate Airplane To U. Hospital, Says Monson Special to The Tribune The DC. General Services Administration will donate an airplane to University Hospital to transport patients to the facilitys trauma and bum center, according to Rep. David Monson, - WASHINGTON, te The airplane, valued at $1,178,211, will be donated under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. The aircraft, currently located in Daytona lleach, Fla., is capable of holding 17 passengers and will be donated on an as is, where is basis. Rep. Monson said the plane is in need of being completely refur- bished to make it suitable for tients and systems. pa- rt The hospital has indicated it is prepared to spend the necessary funds to renovate the aircraft. University Hospital transports about 20 patients a day from surrounding states and provides exhealth-car- e tremely important services. The hospital operates the only trauma, burn and newborn centers in the region, Rep. Monson said. The aircraft would greatly enhance the hospitals service and ability to help not only patients in Utah, but in several other states as well, said William A. Arseneau, director of Government Surplus for the Utah Division of Surplus Property. University Hospital currently operates emergency fixed-win- g serand rotary-winvices for trauma, neonatal, high-ris- k obstetric, and burn patients. g Moesfop rt America Wfests new super low fare applies to The Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salt Lake City also utilizes the Universitys transport services. every seat, every flight, every day...with no advance purchase requirements! Our convenient nonstops jet from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas at 12:35 pm and 3:50 pm daily with 9:15 am and 1:15 pm each day at return flights nonstop America Wests $39 introductory fare lasts just 10 days, for travel from January 31 through February 9, 1986. Starting February 10th, our everyday low fare will be $59. For the best deal to Las Vegas, call less fare, more 1 or care America West at Medical Developments Spina Bifida Will Be Spotlighted At Two-Da- y S.L. Conference The most common of all congenital birth defects, spina bifida, will be the focus of a medical conference Friday and Saturday in Salt Lake City. The meeting is sponsored by the Birth Defects Clinic at Primary Children's Medical Center and the Utah Handicapped Childrens Service and will be held at the Salt Lake Hilton Hotel. The conference is designed for physicians, allied health professionals, parents and adolescents with spina bifida. The two-daconference will focus on medical developments concerning the defect. The condition is somey times referred to as "open spine" and occurs once in 1,000 births. Spina bifida is characterized by an improperly formed lower spine, which interferes with the development of nerve fibers in the lower part of the body. Parent-infan- t training, genetic aspects, education and the expanding social. horizons of the adolescent are other related topics to be discussed. Fifty years ago, most infants with spina bifida didn't survive infancy, said Dr. Garth G. Myers, director of the Birth Defects Clinic and the conference chairman. "Today, children with this disorder live independent, productive lives," he said. For more information, contact Primary Childrens Medical Center. 328-012- THROWERS CLOSE-OU- T 800-247-569- 2. Or call your Travel Agent. I arc shown is one way. f are subject to change. Less Fare, More Care. WAmerica&st Airlines ELDREDGES Sales and Service 868 E 900 S t Amum Inc 356-607- 1 i 1 |
