by Ronnie Henderson
Years ago, I surprised people at a fundraiser when I stood onstage and shared a deeply personal story: I told the audience about my experience supporting my mother as she has navigated both schizophrenia and homelessness.
Growing up, I saw how schizophrenia made my mom paranoid — she was afraid for her life and convinced that someone was trying to kill her. Instead of acting with compassion, people called her “crazy”— even going so far as to throw a plate of food at her. Some people could only see my mom’s mental illness — they couldn’t see a human being who was also kind, loving and selfless.
As an 8-year-old, I wasn’t prepared to keep my mom safe. Now as an adult, I’m still not prepared to support her mental illness on my own. Despite having resources to help find her an apartment, I have tried in the past to keep my mom housed, but it never worked; she continued to break her lease. Supporting her proved to be financially, physically and emotionally unmanageable on my own.
My mom’s story is not uncommon. According to a recent study, more than 77% of adults experiencing homelessness have navigated mental illness at some point. Homelessness may then exacerbate anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness and substance use — all of which may only make it harder to exit homelessness.
When my mom moved into permanent supportive housing, I finally felt deep relief. Permanent supportive housing is proven to help people leave homelessness behind. Providers do this through on-site health care, counseling and community activities in the building. In other words, permanent supportive housing offers more than just an apartment — it’s a place where residents find stability.
Ronnie Henderson and his mother
At her new home in Plymouth Housing, my mom worked with caring, professional staff who understood how to work with people with symptoms of schizophrenia. The staff took time to build trust with my mom and to make her feel safe.
At long last, she was around people who understood that she faced significant challenges, and that she is a wonderful, unique and lovely person. Today, my mom lives in a nursing home, but I will be forever grateful for our permanent supportive housing experience, and how my mom finally got the help she needed.
For my mom, a son’s devotion and love were simply not enough. Families like mine need a place where our relatives can go and receive the support they need, free of judgment. Our relatives need trained professionals who understand the intersection of homelessness, mental health, disability, trauma and more.
Perhaps at a very basic level, families like mine also need you to look past the stigma of mental illness and being unhoused. Next time you are walking down the street and see someone who is living outside — someone who might be acting erratically or strangely, remember: That is a human being going through something difficult. That could be someone’s loved one, someone’s child or sibling — even someone’s mother.
Ronnie Henderson is senior vice president and private bank manager at HomeStreet Private Bank. This commentary was also published in the Seattle Times on August 9, 2024.