Success Stories: Supportive Living Program

Meet Kerfinal

Kerfinal struggled with mental health disorders and received services from the PLACES Supportive Living Program for a year. He attended recovery meetings, graduated from the program and now takes classes at Sinclair Community College.

“It was a blessing that my PLACES advisor came along. I don't know if I would have gotten out of the shelters if she hadn’t helped me find a place to live and furnishings for my apartment. She reached out and got me involved in the activities at PLACES. And since I am a recovering alcoholic and addict, she would take me to those meetings. She was always checking up on me; it made me feel like somebody cared.”

At PLACES, every one of the individuals in the Supportive Living Program is a success story. Meet a few of them: Kerfinal, Richard, Denise and Marian.

Meet Richard

Richard, who had been living secretly with his sister, a tenant of the Housing First Program, used to spend his days drinking and using drugs because he had nowhere else to go. PLACES understood his situation and offered to provide Supportive Living Program services to Richard.

After Richard became a client, PLACES helped him find an apartment, and slowly he began to curb and then stop his substance abuse. Shortly after he was diagnosed with diabetes, his leg had to be amputated, which put him at risk for a relapse – but he did not have a setback. Instead, he learned how to use a prosthesis. PLACES stood by Richard, found him a different place to live and continued to provide supportive services. Recently he has reconciled with his adult children and grandchildren. Richard is expected to graduate from the Supportive Living Program soon.

Meet Denise

Even though Denise had lived either in a group home or in an apartment for many years, she had to be hospitalized once or twice a month for psychiatric reasons and sometimes even threatened to commit suicide. After her doctors determined she could not live independently, she was accepted into the Residential Adult Care Facilities program at PLACES.

Her medication was changed, and before long, Denise began to stabilize. Both residents and staff paid attention to her, met her needs and helped Denise become more comfortable and happy with herself and her relationships.

After several years, Denise transitioned from the Residential Adult Care Facilities program to the Supportive Living Program at PLACES and began to live independently in her own apartment. Only occasionally did she require hospitalization for psychiatric reasons, and within the last two years, she has not been hospitalized at all.

Denise has overcome her fear of being independent, no longer threatens suicide and has even started taking classes at Sinclair Community College. Denise recently graduated from the Supportive Living Program.

Meet Marian

Homeless and living in a women’s shelter, Marian struggled continuously with substance abuse. Addiction and mental illness stopped her from becoming the person she was meant to be.

But things changed after Marian began receiving services through the PLACES Supportive Living Program and the Opening Doors for the Homeless program. Her advisor helped Marian obtain housing and treatment services, apply for assistance, find a job and enroll in school.

Once she was determined to get on a better path, Marian was able to get clean and stay clean. She graduated from the Supportive Living Program and today works at a nursing home as a licensed practical nurse.