Sorry Lynn but I must disagree as to "housing" being the first need of a chronically mentally individual as a stand alone need. Housing and treatment must go hand in hand for any difference making. Without treatment many are too distressed, paranoid, aggitated to handle living "indoors". If those (brief examples) go untreated, they must "escape" back to the streets aka an environment they know, a lose, lose, ..distress for the shelter and risky for the "patient". To "help" improve the life of a chronically ill individual takes a very powerful, multi-agency robust system involving State Government, the courts (when) needed, doctors, social workers, police, counselors, medication as appropriate, supervised bed's/housing, training in life skills, coping mechanisms, self esteem building, activities as therapy,,etc.....and on going support. This process might take years but it can and does bring improvement. Problem...how to get this political ball rolling again and return the funding.