F requent encounters with something can desensitize you from it. For example, I came to college as a neat freak, but the pile of dirty dishes in my kitchen sink seems rather normal and unthreatening nowadays.

I was rarely exposed to homelessness growing up in a small rural town. When I moved to East Lansing, I was surprised and saddened every time I saw someone collecting cans on football Saturdays or pleading for change at the bus stop. Over time, however, these encounters started to blend into the East Lansing landscape. They became ordinary, like the stacks of unwashed plates and cups in my kitchen.

But we need to stop ignoring the issue of homelessness in our community and recognize that we can do something to help those struggling to get by.

I was shocked to learn that there are more than 86,000 homeless persons living in Michigan today, according to the Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness in 2010. That’s more than double the entire population of my hometown of Bay City, Mich. The 75,005 seats in Spartan Stadium would not be enough to house Michigan’s homeless population.

As we approach mental health awareness month in May, it is important to remember that nearly a third of the chronically homeless in America suffer from severe and potentially undiagnosed cases of mental illness, hindering their ability to lead a normal and productive lives.

According to the American Psychological Association, the rates of mental illness among the U.S. homeless population is double that of the general public.

This certainly does not mean that everyone suffering from mental illness will end up homeless. In fact, a vast majority of people with mental illness who receive proper care and treatment are able to live rewarding and productive lives. Including myself.

In middle school, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s not something I talk about regularly, but it’s also not something I am ashamed of. Because I had, and still have, access to a strong support system, I have learned how to effectively deal with my OCD.

My condition has never stopped me from achieving anything in my life, and I was fortunate enough to receive the proper care and treatment. Many others, including those suffering from even more severe forms of mental illness, do not have the same opportunity.

The reality is, there is a lack of commitment and funding directed toward mental health care. As a result, many people do not receive the treatment they need. According to a 2008 survey by the Conference of United States Mayors, nearly 20 percent of respondents said that better coordination of mental health services providers as one of the top three ways to prevent homelessness.

In Michigan, it doesn’t seem like that commitment will be made. Lawmakers in Lansing are reportedly considering slashing the state’s Community Mental Health general fund dollars by 70 percent. Maribeth Leonard, the CEO of LifeWays, a Jackson County mental health agency, said that she has never seen a cut as dramatic as this and that it “puts those who are vulnerable in our communities at risk.”

Budget cuts and neglecting to accept mental illness as a contributor to homelessness will not make the problem go away. I do not claim to have the cure-all solution for homelessness in United States. But I do believe I know a good place to start.

Awareness and investment. Mental health needs to be recognized as a risk factor for homelessness. Investments need to be made to improve our underfunded and ill-equipped mental health services so they can serve those in need, especially in poor communities.

This May, as we recognize mental health awareness, let’s make a pledge to better assist those struggling in our community with mental illness. Rather than sweeping it under the rug, let’s talk openly about this serious problem because that is truly the only way to achieve any significant change.

Let us all recognize that by making a commitment to improving mental health services, we can substantially reduce the number of people living in poverty.

Alex Dardas is a international relations and journalism junior. Reach him at dardasal@msu.edu.