'We need to give people a purpose' in fight against homelessness, Utah advocates say

SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin Stockseth recalled staying at the Road Home shelter when it was open in downtown Salt Lake City.

"I needed a purpose. We need to give people a purpose," said Stockseth, now chairman of the 4th Street Clinic's consumer advisory board, speaking during the annual Utah Homelessness Conference.

He views being treated with dignity as others listening to him explain not only his needs but his wishes.

Many organizers and attendees at the conference said they agree the key to solving Utah's problem of homelessness is to provide housing for anyone without a home. How to keep someone in their home once they get one is a much bigger question, however, with a variety of possible answers.

Friday morning, staff from homelessness agencies across the state, along with government officials, discussed two solutions that need to be addressed: treating people experiencing homelessness with dignity and giving them a sense of purpose.

"I'm sure places like (Salt Lake Community College) and the (University of Utah) could hold classes to help give people their purpose back. I wanted to teach classes to the other people in the shelter, and I was told 'no' because you don't want people to get too comfortable. See ... I think that's the wrong approach," Stockseth said.

It is the wrong approach, Stockseth said, because he believes someone did not see his humanity. He says he had an idea that would benefit many at the shelter, but his need to serve did not matter. Those not experiencing homelessness may have seen him and others with the same experience as lazy when, in reality, he and most of his peers wanted to work, serve and have a reason to get up every morning.

Speakers at the event advocated for more collaboration between different agencies to help provide each person the services they need.

"We want to work with different partners and move toward that whole treatment of people," said Kevin Curtis, who works with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. "Understand that if there are 30 doors, and I don't know which one to go through — and every time I go to one, I'm being told it's not the right one — it calls on all of our programs not to create wrong doors. You want to help people where they are at."

The theme for this year's conference — "Healing and Hope: The Road to Human Dignity" — encouraged discussion among people with different levels of expertise to learn best practices. With a call to "ensure that homelessness is not hopelessness," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox applauded the more than 500 people in attendance at the conference for their focus on dignity. Creating cross-agency programs and wraparound services for those experiencing homelessness is a beginning.

But what does it mean to treat someone with dignity?

Human service employees discussed this in various breakout sessions, but those, like Stockseth, who had experienced homelessness explained the concept and the need for others to understand, including those working in social service agencies.

Herbert Elliott, who said he had experience "out in the streets" when he was younger, agreed. He said he has had people not "see" him but look past him as if he did not exist. He believes a focus on available resources, state and local government treating people with dignity and also giving everyone a purpose can have a positive impact on everyone.

"I also think we have to break down the barriers," Elliott said. He also works at Fourth Street Clinic.

"Everybody has to stand up for this because it is humanity," he said. "The greatest thing we're doing is releasing potential ... then we can hope that potential comes back, and we can see it in ourselves."

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