Security at a homeless shelter can be hard to enforce when about half of its clients have mental health problems.

Homelessness among those suffering from mental health problems is not a new issue. During former President Ronald Reagan’s administration, decades-long support for mental health programs was reversed. Suddenly, funding for psychiatric hospitals decreased and more people with mental health problems found themselves on the streets.

The Coalition of Service and Charity (COSAC) shelter takes in homeless people around the clock, regardless of their condition.

The shelter currently holds around 150 clients, many of whom "suffer from mental health issues," according to Sean Cononie, the shelter’s founder/director.

"Some of these people can’t even take care of themselves," says Patrick Cooper, who works overnight security for the shelter. "That’s what we’re here for."

According to Cooper, room 221 on the second floor of the shelter is designated for its clients with mental health problems.

"We can’t be forceful or aggressive with these people," says Cooper. "So we have therapists come in on certain days."

Cooper makes sure the clients are safe by running security checks every time a new client comes in. The tests include blood pressure screening, breathalyzer testing,
urine drug screening and criminal
background checks.

"We screen these people as far as we can when they come in," Cooper says, adding that only violent crimes rule out clients.

A convicted sex offender currently on probation lives in the shelter. Though he is not considered a hazard, Cooper says
that when children from local churches visit the shelter, he is told to stay in
his room.

Because of these kinds of security hazards, all of the shelter’s staff wears walkie-talkies, referring to each other by code names such as "Juliet Alpha," "Poppa Charlie" and "Mother Goose." There are PAs in every room as well so that staff can respond quickly to emergencies.

Other people think the shelter doesn’t have so much commotion.

"It’s a smooth-running place, runs like a clock," said Wayne Turnage, part of the security staff.

Turnage wanted to work at a mental health clinic but was denied because of his criminal record. Despite the obstacle, he helps clients at the shelter deal with crises, especially the medicated residents.

"We don’t force them to take anything," Turnage said. "People with mental
health issues take their medications on
their own."

Some people are not so easy to deal with. Justin Artis, a security guard and Homeless Voice street vendor, says sometimes the homeless ignore him completely.

Artis suspects he himself might suffer from mental health problems. Although he hasn’t been diagnosed yet, he thinks he has bipolar disorder.

"Half of me says ‘take the medicine,’ but the other half says ‘why take the medicine?’" says Artis. For him, support comes in the form of Sean Cononie, whom he views as a
paternal figure.

Along with Cononie, Turnage believes support comes from all the COSAC staff, who help one other.

"It’s patience; that’s the only way of
getting along."