Meet Robert!
Meet Robert!
Hi there my name is Robert!
My name is Robert, I’m 41 years old, and I came to the Community House Extended Supportive Services (CHESS) at the end of 2023. Before coming to the Community House, I was homeless and was staying in the hospital for almost two weeks due to congestive heart failure and cellulitis of the leg. Before coming to Community House, I was buying and selling drugs on the streets to get by. I did this for nearly two years while also battling addiction. I knew for several years that I needed help, and this was my fourth time in the hospital due to my drug use and ongoing physical issues. I kept getting discharged back onto the streets, where the cycle continued, and I knew I had to make a change. That’s when a nurse told me about Community House Extended Supportive Services (CHESS) and said she would make a call over to them.
Shortly after, I met with some staff members from CHESS, who would then ensure that I got a bed at their facility after they heard my story- they were willing to give me a chance and decided that I was a good fit for their program, and I was not going to take this opportunity for granted.
The Community House has helped me by supporting me with getting my life back on track, getting clean and sober, meeting my goals for treatment and mental health services, and providing a care team that genuinely caters to my needs. I used this time to get better, accomplish the goals that I had set in the past but never achieved. Community House not only provided me with warm meals daily and a safe place to sleep every night, but they also provided me with Mental Health Services, SUD services, Peer Support, Supportive Employment, Supportive Housing, and Case Management. I took advantage of all of these resources up until I got housed. I continued meeting with my peer until we hit every SMART goal we could think of, and now, I just meet with my mental health clinician once a week.
My Mental Health Clinician has supported me with learning coping skills for my depression and anxiety, getting me to establish a genuine self-care routine to manage my day-to-day stuff with ease, working on my communication, interpersonal skills, and advocating for myself. I was given the confidence to set boundaries and even fight to get my dogs approved as emotional support animals, which I am now able to live with in my apartment. I have learned a lot from SUD group, such as boundaries, coping skills, and a variety of custom-tailored tools for my own toolbox, on top of knowledge that I would not have found elsewhere. I also discovered during SUD group that I was using drugs to numb the pain and emotions that I desperately tried to avoid.
Finally, I learned to ask for help when I need it- something I always struggled with before coming to Community House. My Peer support has helped me apply for ABD and Social Security for a source of income, while I underwent several surgeries. My peer also ensured I was able to make it to my appointments if I could not drive myself, as well as checked in regularly regarding goals I can meet within the community. She also helped me get my driver’s license, social security card and birth certificate.
Supportive Employment has assisted with resume-building, applying for jobs, mock interviews, and checking in on applications regularly. Supportive Housing has helped me apply for housing vouchers, apply for apartments, tour different apartment buildings, assisted with paperwork, and even helped get me housed. My Case Manager assisted me with my day-to-day goals and general guidance, especially with my physical health issues.
What I would say to someone in need, as well as to my past self, is that if you struggle with homelessness and addiction, Community House is here for you. I would let them know that CHESS saved my life and that I don’t know if I would be here today without them.
They helped me turn my life around and have made me a successful person because of their care and resources. I am forever thankful that these people took a chance on me and supported me through some of the most difficult times of my life.
-Robert