The situation on America’s streets has reached a critical point. Encampments now occupy sidewalks, and untreated mental health issues and addiction are leading to widespread chaos. Public spaces that once thrived are now plagued by despair.

President Trump has recently issued an executive order to tackle these growing challenges in America and Washington, D.C. It aims to confront the humanitarian crises that have unfolded over the past decade.

This order calls for federal action to dismantle encampments and enforce laws against public disturbances, highlighting a need for long-term solutions. The crisis encompasses not just homelessness but also issues of public safety, health, and human dignity.

The president’s decisive steps may usher in a new phase, where compassion is shown through action—by intervening, saving lives, and working to restore communities.

But it’s important to note that these executive orders by themselves won’t shift trends dramatically. There must be ongoing commitment and accountability across all levels of the new system.

For real change, a new program must be created. This program needs a properly trained and professional staff, equipped to provide the right type of intervention for individuals unable to seek help themselves, and supported by the political will to empower local leaders, from social workers to elected officials.

Support structures are often overlooked but are crucial.

About 80% of homeless adults experience mental health issues, addiction, or both. Many of these individuals may also suffer from anosognosia, a condition that can prevent them from recognizing their need for treatment. No matter how many programs we set up, they won’t seek help on their own.

Federal funding should be contingent upon state and local governments taking measurable actions, including enforcing involuntary treatment laws, increasing parental involvement, and connecting severely ill individuals to the care they need.

Many regions still equate compassion with neglect, avoiding the enforcement of the relevant Acts.

And even where treatment facilities exist, a lack of qualified professionals means lives can still be at risk.

Across the nation, 41 states report shortages of master’s-level social workers and 36 states face a deficit of licensed behavioral health counselors, including those specializing in mental health and addictions.

In California, the situation is dire, with shortages affecting nearly all types of behavioral health professionals from psychiatric nurses to addiction specialists.

However, staffing issues aren’t the only challenge.

In Seattle, for instance, even after investing $244 million in the 150-bed Washington University School of Medicine Behavioral Health and Learning Center—designed to aid patients needing involuntary treatment—the facility only managed to serve 35 patients a day and let go of 32 staff members shortly after its launch.

The problem isn’t a lack of need or capability, but rather that local leaders have not enforced treatment for those who are most unwell.

Seattle faces unique challenges, distinct from those in California, with an issue of political will standing in the way of treatment for individuals in acute crises. Without intervention, these individuals risk serious health problems or worse, while facilities remain underutilized, experts lose their jobs, and taxpayers end up funding ineffective systems.

A similar situation has emerged at the American Behavioral Health System in Port Angeles, Washington.

The federal government is currently open to funding treatment services, but it needs to seek and track measurable outcomes.

• Occupancy Requirements – Facilities receiving federal funds must strive to fill beds to save lives.

• Labor Investment – Funding should also be directed toward training, recruiting, and retaining skilled professionals.

• Accountability Metrics – State and local governments need to adhere to clear performance benchmarks or risk losing funding.

Failing to meet these standards leads to an inaction that results in tax dollars being wasted on facilities that are little more than shiny monuments, while those suffering roam the streets.

Every leader in the system must embrace a genuine “compassionate impulse.”

They need to replace ineffective harm reduction strategies with proper harm elimination.

President Trump’s executive order sets an appropriate direction, but sustained follow-through is essential for real outcomes. This entails constructing treatment facilities, staffing them with qualified professionals, and ensuring that those in need can access them.

Over one million homeless Americans wrestle with mental health and addiction issues. They deserve a genuine chance for recovery, and communities deserve the stability that comes when obstacles are replaced with commitment and accountability.

The federal government, as the financial backer of the nation’s largest homeless programs, must demand accountability from local and state agencies.