(A News and Sentinel Op-Ed - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

For the past eight years the City of Parkersburg has been challenged to respond to the opioid epidemic, untreated mental illness and the subsequent impact on our businesses, public safety personnel, neighborhoods and community in aggregate.

Since 2017 the city, under my guidance and with the broad support of 15 different city councilors, has undertaken multiple efforts to mitigate this impact. Legislation both locally and through the West Virginia legislature has limited the number of Medically Assisted Treatment beds in a community, including Parkersburg. We have deployed trained personnel on the streets daily to connect persons who are homeless with available resources to treat mental illness and addiction. These employees have reunited willing homeless with their families, connected them with treatment and helped them transition into appropriate shelters.

The City of Parkersburg has spent thousands of dollars cleaning up thousands of tons of litter from abandoned encampments, identified and demolished hundreds of vacant structures that were destroyed by trespassing homeless people and coordinated diversion programs for those who can elect treatment in lieu of criminal prosecution.

Recently, the city was tasked with the response to fully involved fires and subsequent demolition of 2 structures that were known to be frequented by homeless people. At the time of the fires, both structures had been previously secured with the utilities disconnected. This response and action is costly to the city, with most of that cost being uncollectable.

Recently, I made a statement that society needs to stop treating persons who are mentally ill, drug addicted and homeless as victims and start holding them more accountable for their actions, decisions and choices. I have received a backlash, some of which is vicious and accused me of being inhumane and callous.

I believe I am capable of compassion and sympathy; however, I also know that the services and programs available to this population at a local level are plenty and abundant. I have personally spoken with dozens of people who don’t want to change, and who refuse to abide by rules of participation in shelters and programs that can and do set one on a course of healing and productivity.

Changing the words we use to describe persons who are mentally ill, drug addicted and homeless has not improved or affected these situations positively. Millions of state and federal funds have not eliminated the problem and even in many instances, has exacerbated situations in communities with expanded services to eventually attract more persons seeking short term assistance.

Accountability matters and over the past 25 years, as accountability has eroded along with healthy family units and general morality, the consequences for poor choices and harmful decisions have disappeared.

As I complete my final term, I will continue to work for those who have made smart choices and prudent decisions and will work to ensure that resources and opportunities for our youth are provided to make the next generation the greatest generation in 100 years. But I will no longer stay silent while some insist on deflecting shame from those who must be held accountable for their behaviors.

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Tom Joyce is mayor of Parkersburg and Region 3 director for the West Virginia First Foundation.