I am hearing in Boston that Fentanyl overdoses have almost replaced heroin overdoses in the past few years, and that it takes more doses of Narcan to save people from Fentanyl.
Also, as far as helping all of the country's physically disabled people, these are some preliminary suggestions:
-strenghten laws that stop landlords from discriminating against and evicting disabled tenants and refusing to build or repair reasonable accommodations. It's been shocking for me to hear what disabled people have told me about how they were made homeless.
-fund more affordable housing that is accessible for the disabled. I think that this a good investment; to help people be as independent as possible will also help them to need fewer services and will prevent additional injuries and illnesses.
-do what can be done to make the country accessible to the physically disabled. I have known people in wheelchairs who have applied for jobs and who were told that they couldn't be hired because of lack of accessibility.
I knew nothing about issues for the physically disabled before this round of homelessness. Homeless people with disabilities are the most powerless of the most powerless. I think that our society assumes that nobody is cruel to disabled people in this century, but that has turned out not to be true, and perhaps the assumption is provoking the lapse.
Thank you for taking steps. I appreciate it. It is awful to witness so many people suffering partially because they don't know how to articulate what's wrong, don't know whom to tell, have no faith that things can change, or don't even think that they deserve safer, happier lives.
