My counseling license was set to expire at the end of September. Really, a big part of me wanted to let it lapse. Over the last several years, I have seen, firsthand, the destruction of humanity as a result of fentanyl and meth addiction. While I have done my best to treat the most difficult cases, it has seemed almost impossible. However, the impossibility is not due to those who use those horrific substances, it’s because of lax policies towards doling out services.
Most people are unaware that abstinence is not a requirement of receiving housing vouchers. Especially services that the City of Santa Fe oversees. I worked at Santa Fe Suites for several months. Many Suites residents are self=pay. However, the residents who cause a lot of trouble are those who both use and traffic meth and fentanyl. What’s worse, I will attest under penalty of perjury, that known sex offenders and traffickers receive City of Santa Fe assistance.
I was shocked to learn just how insidious programs like “housing first” really are. Residents at Suites, as well as other City properties, can use whatever substances they want to use, as long as they do so in their own units. Regardless of any harm they cause, meth and fentanyl addicts and traffickers have free reign at that property. I also know, firsthand, that second hand fentanyl smoke is deadly.
I was doing a unit check one day. When the resident opened her door, a huge plume of fentanyl smoke followed her out to the doorway. The smoke enveloped me and I became physically ill for several hours.
What’s worse is that a known sex offender (unregistered, btw) was trafficking meth and fentanyl out of his unit. While everyone knew this person was selling drugs and girls out of his unit, the property management company could not evict this resident. The last I heard, which was in June of this year, a parole violation sent him back to prison. However, had it not been for that violation, this person would still live at the Suites. A powerful local government official ordered the director to protect this person.
As long as Santa Fe is a honeypot for migrant meth and fentanyl addicts, traffickers will benefit from lax government programs. What we need are stricter screening policies that force any resident to undergo MANDATORY substance abuse treatment as a condition to receiving housing. Further, housing complexes cannot allow either drug or human trafficking within their properties, regardless of political pressure. Government officials should never politicize social service funding. What we need are more common sense measures for service distribution. Otherwise, I can’t see how substance abuse programs can help. Our clients aren’t the problem, government programs that allow substance use and trafficking are.
