One of the president’s most recent executive orders may not have caught the attention of everyone in the way that some others have in recent past. However, his plan for “shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment” will undoubtedly cause a multitude of issues for the mental health and substance use disorder communities.

The Consumer Council System of Maine represents peers in the mental health community statewide. We are responsible for gathering feedback and real-life stories of the experiences of Mainers accessing mental health services and subsequently attempting to address the issues they are facing. We work closely with community members to listen to and understand the biggest impacts on their journey to recovery.

Throughout this process, we are made aware of the everyday struggles that impede this recovery. Various widespread issues we advocate for solutions to are transportation, access to services, waitlists, financial concerns and yes — homelessness. While many can agree that the unhoused crisis in our state needs addressing, we argue that institutionalization of those in need of mental health services is not a realistic solution.

There are several research-proven solutions that CCSM and our allied organizations have been working to improve and implement in our state for these very reasons. One of those solutions is Housing First, which is currently being expanded in Maine. The Housing First model, paired with supportive services, is proven to be an effective intervention for the unhoused, including those living with mental health challenges and/or substance use disorder.

The Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP) is a lifeline for many Mainers living with serious mental illness. Unfortunately, this program is currently paused due to rising costs of living and increased demand. The Senate and House have passed a bill that our organization worked on to increase the funding for BRAP. We are currently awaiting a decision on funding from Appropriations.

Housing First is just one example of the necessary steps our state needs to take in ensuring community-based resources are the primary option for mental health treatment. As an organization and representation for the greater mental health population, we value care that is need-based, compassionate and realistic for our community members. Not only immediate, but most certainly lasting harm will be caused to thousands of unhoused Mainers in the event that the proposals in the executive order take place.

Institutionalization should have been eradicated with the Community Mental Health Act, signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. For the last several decades, mental health advocates across the state have worked tirelessly to ensure access to and expanse of community-based solutions. These efforts would all be reversed if the unhoused population is placed into forced treatment scenarios.

If community services were properly funded and supported by legislation, we would likely see drastic changes to the landscape of mental health care in the state of Maine. Peer-run programs and community-based crisis systems are among those services that desperately need to be given attention when attempting to address the homelessness crisis. Inadequate, coercive and rights-stripping systems should not be utilized as a response to treat the most in-need Mainers among us.

The process of institutionalization has been proven to fail community members, and we must wonder why the administration would attempt to revert to this model. The unhoused population requires other community members to advocate for policies, solutions and funding that will properly address their concerns and needs now more than ever before.

We do not condone forced treatment in any setting or situation. This executive order puts forth solutions that are simply forced treatment that will result in mass institutionalization.