What should the city, county, state etc. do with homeless people who need medical attention but refuse it?

[Staximus]

So I'm sitting here at work and this homeless guy sits down out front on the grass island by the street. When he sat down he yelled out in pain. I noticed he could barely walk, it looked like he had a broken hip or something. I walked out there and asked him if he was alright and he said no. I asked him what's wrong with his hip, he said it was dislocated or something. He was all fucked up on something and looked miserable and in extreme pain. I went inside and called the police station non-emergency number, they transferred me to the fire department. They sent a fire truck out to check on the guy. The fireman pulled up and I said "he's over there, it looks like he's got a broken hip or something. He can barely walk. He's all fucked up on something, but he's not combative." They walked up to him, asked a couple questions, and then just turned around and got back into the truck. I walked up to the guy who looked like he was in charge and said "you guys are just leaving?" He responded "he refused help. The county protocol is if they are not coherent enough to answer questions then we take them in." I said "he refused help? Are you fucking serious? The guy can't even walk". He said "county protocol is that they have to not be able to communicate with us to just take them in. Being able to walk is not part of that protocol". I just shook my head and disbelief as they drove away. Now there's a guy laying down out in front of my work that looks like he's going to die. I turned off the sprinklers so he wouldn't get soaked and can take a nap or die in peace, whatever the fuck he is doing.

[Chazmatazz269]

Simple, defang lawsuits against organizations that are only trying to help. Those policies only exist to protect their insurance companies’ bottom line. We already have laws that protect good samaritans, but they only protect individuals and typically only in emergency situations. As long as companies and organizations are strict about the choices they make to help someone who is sick or injured, and their end goal isn’t about making money, then they should be allowed to help someone who needs it, but clearly isn’t in a state of mind to consent.
A LOT of the psychosis we see in indigent people is caused by self-medicating with illicit drugs. Get them off the street, help them to improve their health and kick the habit, and certainly the vast majority of them will be grateful in the end. Some prisons do help in that way, but the trade off is a felony that now limits an otherwise healthy person’s job opportunities. If someone doesn’t ask for help or commit a felony, then they fall through the cracks. And there are plenty of gigantic cracks in our healthcare system that prioritizes profit over care.

[DryGermanGuy]

In my country, if it’s an acute medical problem, you will be treated, even against your will. Part of the reasoning is that e. g pain or shock makes you unable of making coherent decisions. Being under the influence of drugs/alcohol is an aggravating factor.

[Anonymous]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[msc545]

Here in California where I live and work, if they cannot provide for food or clothing or shelter, they are dsignated as being "gravely disabled", and are appointed a Conservator who makes decisions for them, including decisions about medical attention. They are often sent to a locked facility (a hospital, not a prison), where they are medically treated and psychologically cared for. All of this is approved ahead of time by special courts in which I often testify.

This is far from perfect, but I believe it is far better than allowing disabled ill homeless people to starve to death on the streets which is exactly what would happen if we did not provide care for them.

As a medical professsional, I am intimately involved in this process and have detailed knowlwdge of it. Feel free to ask me questions if you wish.

[msc545]

Agree, except for imprisoning people who are ill. That is cruel and fixes nothing.

[Staximus]

I'm in California too, dude. This fucking guy's out there moaning and groaning in agony but he would not let the fire department put him in an ambulance and take him away. Fire department said he's too coherent and is refusing treatment

[Staximus]

They said we make we can't make him accept treatment and just drove away

[msc545]

Fire Dept need to call police and have them write a 5150.

[Staximus]

These guys are fucking over it. They just want to let the bums be bums because the county has enabled it for so long

[msc545]

Depends on who asks and where this happened.

[msc545]

For a mental health emergency in Los Angeles County, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support and referrals, or call 911 for immediate danger or if medical attention is needed. You can also contact the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) ACCESS Center at 988 or 211.

[Staximus]

Thanks man

[msc545]

Glad to help.

[exitseven]

the constitution says we must be secure in our bodies. That means we cannot be forced to get a vaccine or an abortion. We have the right to refuse medical care.
However that does not give people the right to be a public nuisance by passing out in somebody's doorway or sleeping on the sidewalk of a public street. they could be subject to arrest.

[Anonymous]

Care should be forced on them if they refuse to get it, the same as if you found someone unconscious. They are unable to care for themselves so you have to do it for them. On top of that, by not getting care, they are creating a danger to innocent citizens around them. If they can't do this then they should be imprisoned, where they will have medical care forced on them.

[seeyounexttuesday]

The homeless guy has the right to refuse medical help.