THE UNWANTED – PART 4
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Living America’s Opioid Nightmare))
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More than 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses.
VOA looks at three stories from the epidemic))
((Banner: The Unwanted: Part 4
Producers: Jeff Swicord, Chris Simkins, Jacquelyn De Philips
Camera: Jeff Swicord, Chris Simkins, Mike Burke, Marcus Harton))
((Map: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania))
((Text over video
Kelly, who has been struggling with addiction for years, has made a major decision))
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Kelly has finally decided to get off the streets and with that she has decided to go into housing.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Addicted to Heroin))
Definitely time to get the f*****out of here, before I end up in a homicide.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Kelly was, you know sort of fighting that. When they found the apartment for her, she told me that it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.
((NATS))
Outreach Woman: You’re not bringing anything?
Kelly: No.
Britt: She also told me she was scared.
Outreach Woman: Where you going?
Kelly: I don’t know.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Kelly is experiencing a lot of emotions. She is being taken from an environment that she knows all too well. She is going to miss chasing that high, daily. She’s going to have to fight to continue to stay off the streets. But it very well may be the thing that saves her life.
((NATS))
*****
((NATS))
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
We're sitting two weeks away from the next eviction of the Frankfurt encampment. I am really hoping that this eviction is going to be handled a lot better than the last one.
((Dave, Addicted to Heroin))
Guess what, guess what they have for me?
This bridge community is not like the rest of the world. Our 24 hours feel like 72. The increase of homelessness in Kensington in a short period of time, and it's crazy to me the increase of insanity. The majority of the people that live in this community have lost all couth. They've lost all respect of self, let alone the property or others. They don't bathe. They don't have regular conversation. They don't pray. Half of them don't eat or sleep. People down here are interested in one thing and that's getting high.
((NATS))
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
The tensions right now in Kensington are higher than I've ever seen them.
((NATS))
Woman: I told her. I said next time you come, next time I see you, you better have it.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
You're evicting homeless people. I just try to let that sink in sometimes, like you're telling homeless people, they've got to leave. When that last eviction mandate came in, it was disorganized chaos. I think the city may have learned a little bit from that and has now increased their resources.
((NATS))
Outreach man: What’s your plans now?
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
They're coming up with, you know, some beds in the city for them. But what are you going to do to get them to transitioned to the next level? What about those who aren't going to take that help? They're going to move to the next encampment. They're going to stay as long as there is easy access in one of the largest open-air drug trades in the country. When people start to say the word eviction, they get scared. And when they get scared, they take off. When they take off, we lose track. How do you save somebody overdosing when you can't get to them?
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project….and….Kelly, Addicted to Heroin))
Britt: So, I was really excited the other day. I got the phone call from my friend that said you're looking to talk to me.
Kelly: Yes.
Britt: And she had told me you had some good news for me.
Kelly: I did.
Britt: Yeah.
Kelly: Yeah, I knew that I had told you that I started like the housing process or whatever.
Britt: Right.
Britt: You didn't pursue it.
Kelly: Right, single female, I mean, I was at the bottom of the list for like priority. Apparently the bridges being closed made me a priority. All of us under there know that they weren't just going to keep leaving us, living under the bridge like that, just doing whatever the heck we wanted to. I knew I wanted to get out. I just didn't know how.
Kelly: Stop dude.
Kelly: And I definitely was not doing another winter out here, like them two-degree days. Yeah, I can't do that again.
Britt: When are we moving in?
Kelly: Tomorrow.
Britt: Tomorrow.
Kelly: Tomorrow.
Britt: That's excellent. How do you feel about that?
Kelly: Good. I mean it's stressful. It's, you know, there's anger, there's hurt, there's sorrow, there's happiness, there's all of that. That's life.
((NATS))
*****
((NATS))
((Mike DiBerardinis, Managing Director, Philadelphia))
I want to thank everyone for coming out to support this cleanup effort. We, in Philly, have worked really hard with the Opioid Task Force, early in the administration, to figure out how do we cut down on the availability of prescription drugs that lead to addiction? How do we communicate and educate across neighborhoods the dangers of these drugs?
((NATS))
((Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, Philadelphia City Council))
Thank you Mike D. and all of the folks involved in the city. I don't think that the city’s yet developed what is going to be the public safety strategy to disrupt the lawlessness that exists in Kensington and how does it win back the confidence of the long-term residents here. 80 percent of the people that are here, are not from this area. So, we need to change the narrative that they're going to come here and do drugs. The long-term residents here, they're very frustrated and they should be. I'm outraged. I'm angry. I'm disappointed that we can't protect them.
((NATS))
((Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia))
Good morning everyone and thanks for being here and I want to thank all involved. None of us created this problem but we're living with it and we have to address it and the measures that we've taken early on, weren't effective.
Chris: What about the evictions coming up? Do you think you have adequately prepared?
Kenney: I think on the next round of movement of people from under the bridges, we have resources for that. We're not moving the last one yet because we don't have resources for that. So, we haven't moved anyone without a resource to go to.
Chris: Were there mistakes made in the first go round, do you think?
Kenney: No, I don’t. I don't think so. I think they maintain the fact that they're not back. They're in other areas of the city. So, we're not turning anyone away, but we only have limited resources but we'll put whatever resources we have and increase those resources the best that we can. That's all we can do.
Chris: What about the federal government?
Kenney: What about them?
Chris: Can't they play more of a role? Won't you want their help?
Kenney: Do you watch TV every day? You see Donald Trump on television every day? You think he's talking about this problem?
Chris: He has committed to fighting the opioid epidemic.
Kenney: Well, when I see the first resource come, I'll believe it. And we need to deal with folks who are here, who are suffering.
((Dave, Addicted to Heroin))
I see the city taking advantage of the photo ops. That’s what I believe sincerely. I don’t believe that they’re helping us any more or any less. It's just coincidence that, you know, Kelly and I got housing two weeks before were leaving. It's not because they, all of a sudden, added some program or did something different. You know, it's a nice photo op for the city. It makes the people that are in seats power look good. And I can’t be mad at them. I probably would do the same thing.
*****
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project…..and…..Kelly, Addicted to Heroin))
Britt: The day Kelly moved into her apartment, she was smiling from ear to ear. She actually seemed a little bit more peaceful than I’ve seen her ever.
Britt: Wow, Kel this is amazing.
Kelly: Here’s the living room.
Britt: I like it.
Kelly: The kitchen with food.
Britt: With food! A refrigerator!
Britt: Kelly does this feel like home to you?
Kelly: It does.
Britt: Sitting on that couch, just sort of kicked back and put the feet up, and smiled and was just happy to be where she was, soaking it all in.
Britt: Slide a cheek. Let me sit on the couch with you for the first time.
Kelly: Yes.
Britt: This is just the beginning to a brand new chapter. Are you excited?
Kelly: I am. But you know, like I said, like it takes from it just knowing, you know, I called the clinic but…..
Britt: The methadone clinic?
Kelly: Right. Like I don't even have an appointment day yet. They have to do some type of request to make sure if it's okay if I return.
Britt: You know be proactive about it because you want to make sure that you start receiving the wellness cares sooner. So, if something opens up sooner, tell them that you're willing.
Kelly: Right. See now the problem with that is I don't have a phone.
Britt: You know these are all little obstacles or hurdles actually to get over, and you've overcome the biggest obstacle. You got off the street. You were under that bridge and on the streets for.....
Kelly: Way to long.
Britt: Long enough.
Kelly: Feels like a lifetime. You know and not everything's always going to line up perfectly.
Britt: This really right now, little hurdles and you’ll get through it. You’ll get through it. You’re a survivor.
Kelly: I know. I know.
((NATS))
*****
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Living America’s Opioid Nightmare
continues on VOA Connect in the weeks to come))