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Many
hardships bring people living with HIV/AIDS to The Serra
Project-—
homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse. But sometimes
they come together under a very different set of circumstances.
These include staying
sober, sticking to medication regimens and seeking the help
they need to function and build the necessary skills for
self-reliance. Their success can be attributed to many things:
strength from their families, guidance from Serra Project
staff, camaraderie they cultivate with one another. Ultimately,though,
success comes when the client makes a commitment to succeed.
Such is the case with Joseph (not his real name), who entered
our Community Housing at Independent Supported Sites (CHOISS)
program at age 41—
homeless, with AIDS, a history of drug abuse, a prison record
and a desire to change his life. These are notes from his
case file.
July
2001: Joseph adapts well to his new living situation but
has good and bad days regarding his health. He often feels
tired. Joseph's Serra Project Support Service Coordinator
(SSC) asks Joseph to make a conscious goal to keep all of
his medical appointments and inform the SSC of any changes
in his health status. Joseph agrees and the SSC sets up
the systems needed to help monitor his health.
August 2001: Joseph attempts to establish new friendships.
He familiarizes himself with his new neighborhood and attends
AA meetings. His SSC congratulates him on taking these initiatives
and cautions that lasting friendships often take time. If
Joseph expects things to happen right away it could cause
frustration and disappointment, setting him up for failure.
The SSC encourages Joseph to pursue his interpersonal goals
and, at Joseph's request, finds a local NA meeting for him
to attend.
September 2001: Joseph and his SSC go over his case plan.
One of Joseph's goals is to bridge the gap with his two
grown children. He follows through and visits them regularly.
Joseph is congratulated for strengthening the bonds with
his family and encouraged to continue to reach out to them.
His SSC lets him know he is there to provide support should
Joseph feel rejected emotionally. Results of a random drug
test show Joseph is clean.
November 2002: Joseph goes to church twice a week and considers
it one of his main sources of emotional support. He is thinking
about getting a part-time job and discusses his options
with his SSC. The apartment is always clean when his SSC
visits him.
June 2003: Joseph is doing well and enjoying a better level
of communication with his family. He would like to get a
part-time job but is worried that the nagging side effects
of his medications will rob him of that chance. His next
medical appointment is in two weeks, which will provide
an updated health status report for his file.
February 2004: Joseph is tired of his HIV status. "I don't
feel like a normal person who has a job and a close family,"
he says. A bright spot is that he and his son have gotten
closer. The talk shifts to future housing options and how
Joseph's life has improved since entering the program. Joseph
reacts with surprise and asks if he has to move immediately.
The SSC tells him no, but reminds Joseph that one of his
goals has been to develop the skills he needs to live independently.
Joseph states he has "never felt so safe" as with The Serra
Project and half-jokingly expresses a wish to "stay here
forever." The SSC tells him to take his time. The Serra
Project is there to support him.
January 2005: Invited to present his story to the advisory
board of a government housing agency, Joseph speaks eloquently
about how difficult his life was before coming to The Serra
Project and how much he has benefited from the structure
and support he has received.
March 2005: Joseph tells his SSC that, while he is doing
well, he still has feelings of isolation. He copes by exercising
and reading educational books. Although Joseph's son visits
twice a month, his daughter does not return his phone calls.
Joseph says he hopes that one day she can forgive him for
his past behavior. The severe diarrhea, herpes and shingles
Joseph experienced a few months ago are under control. He
still goes to church and attends AA and NA meetings throughout
the week.
February 2006: The subject of future housing resurfaces.
Joseph understands he may be transitioning out of The Serra
Project and characterizes himself now as a V.I.P.-a Very
Independent Person. He states his wish to apply for Section
8 housing-a low-cost, county-run program. Joseph's SSC will
assist him with the paperwork.
July 2006: Joseph waits for a phone call from the Section
8 office. He now has a sense of where he wants to look for
an apartment. He reiterates his gratitude to his SSC for
the help he has received in bringing his life back on track.
He interviews for part-time work.
October 2006: Joseph says he has made staying healthy his
number one priority and his most recent health report bears
that out: his T-cells are up and his viral load is down.
Joseph asks his SSC if he has heard anything regarding the
Section 8 application.
He is ready to move.
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