“I never know what day it is. I only know the time based on whether the sun is out.”
I (Melissa) was alarmed by this statement from an unhoused individual I interviewed as I helped with Butte County’s 2025 Point in Time (PIT) count, the biennial study that measures the number of unhoused persons through observation and response to a survey about their needs. This man was describing the challenges he faced in seeking mental health services at a walk-in facility. He was given an appointment for months out, making it impossible for him to attend because he had no reliable way to tell time.
Based on the accounts of this individual and others, it is common for unhoused people to be unable to access critical mental health and housing services due to overcrowded facilities. As social work students, we are concerned about this issue because it negatively impacts not just the unhoused population, but our community as a whole.
