A homeless man explains why it’s so difficult to accomplish anything while working in social services — and why burnout is so common. After interviewing several thousand homeless individuals, I’ve noticed something surprising: many of them have a deeper understanding of how the social service system actually works than the people employed within it. They’re able to speak openly about the flaws because they’re not the ones whose jobs depend on the system — they’re the ones it was built to serve.

Five days ago, I interviewed a homeless woman who is nine months pregnant and actively using fentanyl. That day, we offered her shelter, and she declined. Over the next five days, we checked on her daily. John worked closely with Portland Solutions, and as of yesterday, she and her boyfriend were able to get into a shelter. I pray she finds a way to get sober. Fentanyl use during pregnancy puts her baby at extreme risk for a lifetime of serious challenges. This was truly a team effort, and I wan