Diridon: San Jose mayor is meeting the homeless housing challenge - San Jose Spotlight

"But the Santa Clara County Health Department estimates that 15% to 20% of the homeless population does not have the capacity to live alone and will not stay in unsupervised housing due to addiction or other mental health issues. As a result, they become emotionally unstable and revert to the streets - and are considered "a danger to themselves and others.""

"In our region that was Agnews State Hospital East along the Guadalupe River in a securely fenced, pastoral setting in North San Jose. Inpatient care for those with mental illness was discontinued at Agnews in 1971 following a movement toward deinstitutionalization. This came about for three primary reasons - conditions were considered inhumane, new medications had come on the market and state governments wanted to push people into the community for treatment to save money."

"Prior to the system's termination in the early 1970s, a homeless person might be assigned by a judge to permanent supportive detention if determined to be an irreconcilable recidivist. That usually occurred after having had at least three cycles of being apprehended by law enforcement for acting in a manner considered dangerous to themselves or others. The individual would then be interviewed by medical staff, usually at Valley Medical Center."

San Jose implemented a humane, more affordable program as an initial response to homelessness. Santa Clara County Health Department estimates 15%–20% of the homeless lack capacity to live alone and will not remain in unsupervised housing due to addiction or serious mental illness, becoming emotionally unstable and reverting to the streets while posing danger to themselves and others. Historically, long-term state mental hospitals such as Agnews State Hospital East provided inpatient care. Inpatient care at Agnews ended in 1971 due to deinstitutionalization driven by inhumane conditions, new medications, and state cost-saving measures. Judges formerly could order permanent supportive detention after repeated dangerous episodes.

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