SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Sumner County mother is speaking out about what she calls gaps in the mental health system, while also pushing back against stereotypes surrounding homelessness.
Koasher Crenshaw said her 29-year-old daughter went from living a stable, independent life to losing everything and ending up homeless during a mental health crisis. Crenshaw said the shift began in 2020, when her daughter experienced a sudden decline in her mental health that led to self-harm and, eventually, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder with schizophrenia.
“Going from working two jobs and traveling, doing anything she wanted, to being disoriented and not knowing anything,” Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw said her daughter had multiple stays in mental health facilities, but none led to long-term stability. Eventually, doctors found a medication that helped — until Crenshaw said insurance stopped covering it.
“Insurance wouldn’t pay for her injection, so she went back on pills,” Crenshaw said. “The pills just stayed in the bottle because she said she didn’t like how they made her feel.”
Crenshaw said the lack of consistent treatment caused her daughter’s condition to worsen, leading her to lose her job, housing, and support system before becoming homeless.
She said she tried several times to let her daughter live with her, but those situations quickly escalated and became unsafe.
“She’s tried to stab my daughter,” Crenshaw said. “When that happened, we tried redirection and talking to her, and then it happened to me.”
Crenshaw said she has relied heavily on Deborah Alston, founder of the Stay Warm Shelter in Gallatin, who has used her own money to place Crenshaw’s daughter in a hotel when no other options were available.
Right now, Alston said the Stay Warm Shelter only operates a few months out of the year. There is no permanent shelter in the area, and Alston said she does not receive financial support from the city or county.
Crenshaw hopes her story helps people understand that homelessness can happen when people fall through the cracks of the system, especially those struggling with untreated mental illness.
“Gallatin and Sumner County have a great need for more shelter,” Crenshaw said. “Stay Warm Shelter is great, but we need more help — more facilities. We need more of everything.”
Crenshaw said she has explored marketplace insurance options for her daughter, but the cost remains out of reach, leaving her worried about what comes next without broader systemic support.
Learn more about the shelter here.
This story was reported on air by journalist Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Aaron and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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