Ethics: What the Church Ought to Do for the Mentally Disable?

The mentally disable within our society are often poor and have very minimum resources including adequate housing and care. More than likely, they are considered the most marginalized within our communities and often have no one to advocate on their behalf and for most, left to fend for themselves. Homelessness has existed within the United States for many decades. In the 1970's the movement to "deinstitutionalize many of those being held in state and other mental institutions. The plan was to create community health centers where the mentally ill could receive outpatient treatment, along with residential facilities for those unable to make it on their own". (Nichols 2008)

The results from this movement was disastrous as mental institutions across the United States closed their doors and although many of these institutions needed to be shut-down, it caused an profound number of mentally ill to become homeless and out onto the streets. Some of the most fortunate found shelter in dilapidated boarding homes and low-rent housing however, with the rise of redevelopment and gentrification in urban areas, housing soon became scarce for them.

Although homelessness is not the main reason for mentally ill homeless people, a good percentage of today's homeless are challenged with some type of mental illness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, twenty to twenty-five percent of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. (Homeless 2009)

As Gustavo Gutiérrez suggested, there is a "preferential option for the poor." That is to say, the revelation of God is best understood from the vantage point of the marginalized, the oppressed, the least of these in society. This is the importance of God s choice of the enslaved Israelites and not the enslaving Egyptians. It is also the meaning of the incarnate Christ entering human history through a manger and not a royal palace. The "least of these," those less encumbered by the corruptions and temptations of privilege and domination, are better able to perceive the radicalism of God s vision for God's people.

For Gutiérrez a problem occurs when one sees that among the poor there is an "absence of recognition of their own human dignity and of their condition as daughters and sons of God". This problem is much older than liberation theology. The Old Testament repeatedly provides that the wealthy should not reproach or oppress the poor, but should show compassion as an expression of the love of God. Already in the early church, Saint James warned people not to be contemptuous of the dignity of poor believers. Saint Paul also condemned this situation, which was arising in the Corinthian church. Gutiérrez exhorts the Christian community to remember the teachings of the apostles.

My first year Contextual Education, I was assigned to serve the mental disable within the community of Holy Comforter Episcopal church. During this time, I was introduced to several who were mentally ill and many of them were homeless, which opened my eyes to the lack of advocacy and care for these wonderful creations of God. My experiences at Holy Comforter truly opened my heart and eyes to see those who have been placed so far in the back of our minds that we have forgotten that they even exist, yet they are very much visible in our churches and communities.

Mary McClintock Fulkerson writes of her understanding that "a place to appear as an antidote to obliviousness" and that the term obliviousness defined as a form of forgetfulness or unmindfullness. After reading Fulkerson's A Place to Appear, I began realize that I too had this sense of obliviousness towards the mentally disable. Although I acknowledged them when in my presence, I really did not have a keen awareness of their struggles and having minimum experiences with them, I was very ignorant of their gifts, talents and fullness of life. It is because of this life changing experience that has driven me to focus upon how the lives of the mentally disable can attain the necessary resources to fulfill God's purpose for their lives and maintain a quality of life.

My moral question - What should be the local church's responsibility in the advocacy and care for the mentally disable homeless within its community? In the Book of Acts, the kingdom of God was restored on earth through the start of the Christian Church. The early church has believed and demonstrated in sharing with each other (possessions and wealth) this included the poor and the least of these. Regarding the mentally disable and homeless, it is the church's responsibility to advocate for their care and well being in providing or assisting them with the necessary resources (e.g. housing, medical care), ensure public policies when enacted or implemented such policies or procedures are done in their best interest, to be that 'safe place' for their spiritual formation and in doing so being totally inclusive in their participation within the church community (e.g. worship, programs and leadership).

Within the analysis of its 2003 self-reporting survey results, the Tri-Jurisdictional Collaboration showed 6.2% of the 993 people surveyed who were asked, "What are the primary reasons that caused you to become homeless?" mentioned "mental illness". The primary purpose for this survey was to attain the opinions of the homeless men and women themselves. The analytical report references national expert estimation of the total homeless population "about a third" being mentally ill. Equating the national average to the self-reported 6.2% of the homeless as having a mental illness from the 2003 survey, the report then advises that are 383 homeless people with a mental illness within its total homeless population.

As mentioned, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. In a 2008 survey performed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 25 cities were asked for the three largest causes of homelessness in their communities. Mental illness was the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults (mentioned by 48% of cities). For homeless families, mental illness was mentioned by 12% of cities as one of the top three causes of homelessness. (Homeless 2009)

In relationship to homelessness, those challenged from mental disability are at times incapable to carry out the essential aspects of daily life, such as self-care (hygiene) and household management (paying bills, washing the dishes). Their disability may also create relational voids or cause people to misinterpret others' guidance and react irrationally. This often results in them in pushing away caregivers,