I agree. The majority of homeless people I encounter in NYC are mentally ill. Many are drug or alcohol dependent. It's not uncommon at all to see someone having

I agree. The majority of homeless people I encounter in NYC are mentally ill. Many are drug or alcohol dependent. It's not uncommon at all to see someone having a shouting argument with themselves. Most reek of urine. This is not how a humane society deals with this issue. It is also not safe. Although most homeless people in the city are non-violent, it's not uncommon to read about a delusional person slashing someone across the face with a knife or pushing someone in front of a moving train. Involuntary commitment with compassionate care, properly funded with ethically-aligned incentives, is the most humane solution. Doctors should be the ones to recommend who among the patients is ready to reintegrate into society, and those individuals should receive an apartment and a job with some kind of state or federal work program to provide a routine, though they would of course be free to seek out alternatives.