Homeless Advocates Seek Out Most Vulnerable

Before the sun came up this morning, a team of two-dozen homeless advocates canvassed downtown Nashville, waking up people sleeping on the streets and completing surveys about their medical history. They’re looking for homeless people most at risk of dying if they don’t find housing.

Volunteers and service workers are using a new “vulnerability index” to find the worst of the worst. They ask about recent hospital visits, drug use, and chronic conditions.

Bill Abraham, of the Downtown Partnership, says this is a more scientific way to help those who need it most.

“Once we get the index done we can go, ok, John, Mary, Sue and Tom are the most vulnerable. We’ve got to find them and get them help. Otherwise, they’re going to die on the street. Before it was who can we help? Well, who can we find?”

The new ranking system comes from a New York-based group called Common Ground. Over the past year, they’ve helped reduce homelessness in Times Square, New Orleans and Santa Monica, California. Participants hope the survey findings will create political will in Nashville to fund homeless housing.

The results come out Friday morning.