BANGOR, Maine — Wednesday morning, more than 100 Bangor representatives and business leaders gathered to address the growing issue of homelessness in the community. The Early Bird Breakfast and discussion was hosted by the Bangor Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Four speakers sat on the panel, each sharing their different perspectives on the issue and possible solutions.
Those panelists included Mark Hathaway, chief of the Bangor Police Dept., Rand O'Leary, president of Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, Rick Redmond, associate vice president of community partnerships for Northern Light Acadia Hospital, and Dale Hamilton, executive director of Community Health and Counseling.
Some topics discussed included a lack of appropriate services to treat homeless people struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse disorders, overpacked hospital emergency departments, and patients staying longer than necessary because they don't have anywhere else to go.
"The jail is not the right place, nor is the ED [emergency department], but we don't have another solution for that person... I think there's this thought that the police officer can scoop that person up and take them off to that facility somewhere and they'll be taken care of. Well there's no facility. There's no place to take that person," Chief Hathaway said.
While there are several area homeless shelters, Chief Hathaway said there are no facilities to address these specific health-related issues for people experiencing homelessness. Often times they are brought to emergency departments, which he said is not the answer.
"What happens now is because there are so many folks and because the resources are not as readily available it creates a bottleneck in the emergency department," Redmond said.
O'Leary said there are roughly 50-60 patients waiting for care every day in his emergency department.
"We know that once they enter into the health system they really don't get the care that they need and that they deserve, and so more funding to bring more resources and more care to patients and meet them where they are is what we're really trying to communicate today," O'Leary said.
The panel is hopeful the funds will come from the American Rescue Plan Act and will be used to create regional services for people experiencing homelessness.
Beyond funding, the Bangor Police Dept. is asking the city council to approve it's request for a civilian action team to be formed. That team of roughly four people would help work with and support the homeless.
Above all, the panelists called on the business owners, saying if they want to see change, then they need to speak up.
"They need to hear from the business owners. The business owners have been a little silent on this topic and it's understandable, but if you're fed up with this you have to let us know," Chief Hathaway said.