It won’t be run effectively because the bleeding-hearts are running it AND sucking at the trough/ getting paid to run it. It will not be cost-effective, either, because there will always be more they need. And their advocates will make sure they get that, too.
“remake the state’s mental health system in the image of the homeless program’s “whatever it takes”
Mental health care is very, VERY expensive. And all the good modern meds are not generic yet.
But I know of several people who were homeless because of mental illness. At least one of them is now supporting herself, but she did need a “leg up” from a government agency who gave her job counseling, had her in a support house for a month, and shepherded her through initial care with psychiatrists. She was manic depressive. Without that handout, I have no idea what would have happened.
Let me tell you from personal experience, bipolar types can really vary. They can hold jobs or they can wander around accosting people and sleeping on the street. When you hear about celebrities having a psychotic “break” like Margot Kidder or Carrie Fischer, that’s usually the problem. It’s not a good idea to just leave them alone.
It’s sort of hard to measure cost results. How do you know if you have saved money in the long run? It comes out in things you can’t measure, like theft and drug use decreasing and people off the disability rolls. Also in property values in the areas where the homeless congregate.