Steven Wunschel, M.D.: Other cities are dumping homeless on Modesto
The extreme increase in homelessness has been verified by many sources. San Jose and Oakland have cleared their camps and given people $200 and a bus ticket to Modesto where they can have great resources. Our police response is that if they are arrested, they can go to jail or get a bus ticket home.
This is like Las Vegas sending psychiatric patients to Sacramento without any support. This is not fair to the people or our town. It is immoral and illegal.
Our city council needs to be proactive. I’m one of the few surgeons who takes Medi-Cal, and I am here to help. But this is a major dump on our city. Are we prepared to accept the responsibility for many with mental illness flooding our parks and mental-health center every night?
My son has a good job with Gallo. He went to public health to get my grandson’s last shots for school. He paid $100 while everyone else, many undocumented, paid nothing. I support helping all, including immigrants, but where do we stop when people with jobs have to pay and those without don’t.
Steven Wunschel M.D., Modesto
This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Steven Wunschel, M.D.: Other cities are dumping homeless on Modesto."