Client Background
Cameron joined the Help in the Home Supported Living Community (SLC) in March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our SLCs serve individuals with: bi-polar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, dual diagnosis, borderline personality disorder, pervasive development disorder (PDD), and autism spectrum disorder. We have various levels of support, up to 24-hours a day, that includes in-home support services, utilities and food.
Client Goals
From the moment we met Cameron, it was apparent to us that he was a person with a huge heart that cared deeply for others. One of Cameron’s personal goals when joining our Supported Living Community was to find ways to support the homeless population during this time.
After talking with Cameron, the client-centered and team-guided goal was to return to work and live independently.
Defining our Client-Centered and Team-Guided Goals
We start by evaluating each and every client within their first 30 days of becoming a part of the Help in the Home family. After our evaluation, each client receives an Individual Service Plan (ISP) that focuses on their goals and the smaller steps needed to get there. Since we were in the middle of a pandemic, here are the goals Cameron began with:
- Looking for virtual employment by submitting 2-3 job applications per week.
- Finding a local homeless organization to support and organizing a food drive. Cameron’s efforts were promoted for 2-months in HITH’s marketing efforts as well.
What the process looked like for Cameron
A lot of the time, the role our team plays in supporting our clients is in helping them pace themselves while continuing to build upon the success they’re having.
In less than 3 months, Cameron was offered part-time employment that required having in-person contact with the public. Shortly after this, Cameron approached our team sharing that he wanted to move out of the SLC and start working within a two-week period. When he notified his Care Coordinator and his parents of this plan, we scheduled a team meeting to work through the details together.
After discussing how to build on his successes, Cameron, his parents and the HITH team agreed on the importance of making changes in small steps to ensure that he had the adequate support he needed for a smooth transition. From this meeting, our team was able to create a space within the Supported Living Community for Cameron to continue receiving daily support, while no longer having to quarantine.
Why this is a win
The most important factor that we wanted Cameron to know was that he was cared for and how valuable it is to maintain relationships with our team for support. When we asked Cameron how he felt during the process, he said “they don’t just say how are you and move on. They really want to know how I’m doing”.
Cameron continues to live in our SLC while successfully working his PT job. To date, Cameron continues to have the goal of moving out of the SLC once he is fully comfortable with his employment
On YouTube! Did you catch this video where our co-founder, Stacy Derrick, talks about what it means to be client-centered and team-guided? Worth the 1-minute listen!