and not trying hard enough to make them self-sufficient?
Probably. I have a smart and sweet uncle who is a wonderful artist and generally able bodied. Now he is on SSI for Disablity and has his Medical Pot prescription. He spends his money on cigarettes, his girlfriend, alcohol – and of course on food (I am not entirely convinced that he pays his mother rent).
This is a man capable of putting on slacks and a shirt and sitting in the front office somewhere and answering telephones, making copies, flipping burgers, teaching one of his skills at a community center, etc. He has been told to think that he is disabled and frankly , I think he is relieved to be able to just quit trying. He is now an expert at being poor and non-functioning in society. He and his girlfriend buy items from yard sales and sell them on e-bay for a tidy and not reported profit. He can talk more about his disability than his dreams.
I am un-amused and was happy ( is that the right word?) to see this article by Lance Greene http://homelesscrisis.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/no-they-will-not-be-ok/
Homeless in LA © 
Thank You….Yes I agree 1000%. Lance Greene @HOMELESSCRISIS
:-))! I see now who you are! I am very hmmmmm, yes Happy, and you are right,,,,is that the right word? I am very happy or encouraged to see you have the same feeling/belief. I am more than sure you see it every single day where you are. I am just tired of it is all i guess. I know you are too. It has to change because it is actually seriously crippling very able bodied people as you say here too. Thank you for seeing it too.