Wraparound Services

When one of our editors, Mr. Tell, proposed the concept of a path from streets to housed, the concept hit home with Doc. Transitioning from one particular world view to another, or from a homeless lifestyle to a housed one, is a process, a path to follow. Putting our homeless from where they are currently into a housed situation, as in the housing first ideology, will require a freedom similar to what they are experiencing now, a volitional transition. Trauma experienced due to your volitional choice, as in becoming a firefighter, police officer, or soldier, is much different from trauma imposed upon you (against your will), as in sexual assault, armed robbery, or childhood exploitation, for example.

Using the analogy of a path from Superior Courthouse to Restoration Center and from there to a sort of temporary, pilot-test housing situation is congruent with a process rather than an event, and possibly a nice design. Yes, housing first aligns well with harm-reduction, and it facilitates healing, remission, and recovery, as an unconditional process. Healing from active addiction may require a unique housing environment with special supervision, controls, and privileges too, which a clinical trial, a research study can provide MCSR for Individuals | Mass.gov. As researchers, we are able to address stakeholders’ liability costs. Research with human participants requires volitional conditions with confidentiality in place, a welcoming concept for our struggling neighbors. Rather than an imposed scenario, this approach may avail better compliance. Contingency housing will feel too much like the oppression of manipulation and exploitation, a common reason many started down their freedom trail in the first place.

Wondering how we create a decent path, trail, process? Clearly, many community members wish our homeless would live somewhere besides our city streets, away from downtown store fronts, and able to be a bit more hygienic. The Superior Courthouse is an ideal location and size for accommodating multiple subcultures of our homeless too: Veterans, disabled, challenged, elderly, etc. The fenced in yard can help control for variables important for designing a valid credible field study. Mixing the economic hardship homeless, with those psychologically challenged, and/or AUDs and OUDs isn’t going to work out well. Client-centered means understanding the psychological make-up of participants, their social skills level, and physiological compromises, and whatnot, before simply sending them into a home or group home setting.

Doc has been asked to let go of this superior idea as becoming tangible and focus more on his upcoming book, Twelve Marble Stairs. The “who’s going to pay” is always in the way, so it seems. That said, let’s continue along our path together and keep that research project idea in mind, a backdrop for an ideal scenario. Since its inception in 2012, a wraparound approach has been an inherent strategy of an ARMOR Program’s process. Thank you UMass, Lowell! The following excerpt is from our Administration of Child and Families.

“Implementing wraparound requires careful planning, coordination, and partnership with stakeholders. Key elements include engaging individuals as decision-makers, fostering natural supports, and prioritizing individualized, strengths-based approaches. Successful programs often involve formal agreements, dedicated care coordinators, and multidisciplinary teams.”

Next month’s preview: Phone rings, near midnight, cold and raining, “hey Doc, can you please come pick me up,” a quiet voice asks. “What do you mean? You have a nice warm bed, some milk and toast there,” Doc petitions. “He’s out drinking and only going to yell and scream at me when he comes home.” Her choice is to sleep in her cold tent and rain instead of tolerating the verbiage! “I’d rather be in my comfort zone,” she explains. Next month’s topic area will be sharing more lived experiences from former homeless clients and local service providers, cloaked in confidentiality of course. So, stay tuned in!