California's governor has said doctors should be able to write a prescription for housing as they would for medication. Gavin Newsom recently reiterated the idea on Twitter after originally suggesting it during his State of the State address earlier in the week.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature at the Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
California’s governor has said doctors should be able to write a prescription for housing as they would for medication. Gavin Newsom recently reiterated the idea on Twitter after originally suggesting it during his State of the State address earlier in the week.
We need to start targeting social determinants of health. We need to start treating brain health like we do physical health.
What’s more fundamental to a person’s well being than a roof over their head?
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 21, 2020
Newsom told lawmakers that having shelter is as fundamental to residents as a necessary prescription for insulin or antibiotics. The governor devoted much of his speech to this issue and emphasized California must act while still protecting civil liberties.
“California can no longer treat homelessness and housing insecurity as someone else’s problem, buried below other priorities that are much easier to win or better suited for soundbites,” he said. “It’s our responsibility and it must be the top of our agenda.”
FILE – In this July 1, 2019 file photo, a homeless man moves his belongings from a street behind Los Angeles City Hall as crews prepared to clean the area. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
This came after President Trump criticized the governor’s handling of the homeless population in December and warned that the federal government could get involved if the issue was not resolved.
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