5:30 a.m. I woke up in my tent. It was cold and I tossed and turned throughout the night. I gathered up my belongings, and I drove to work.
The outreach team arrived at the shelter at 7 AM and immediately began doing Vesta files for some of the clients that we engaged with the day before. Kat and her son showed up. Kat said she was moving into an apartment and she’s been struggling with breathing issues due to her asthma. Kat is a woman who has a long history of street life, criminal behavior, and drug abuse. She had been living in a tent behind the park on West Street. Now she will be living with her mother, and working on herself so she says. The outreach team drove Carolyn to her mothers home and then drove back to Shelter to meet up with to Outreach workers from a local detox, Mitchell and Eileen.
The Outreach team stopped by to see Pedro and Jenn. Jenn stated that her and Pedro were going to Brightview for methadone treatment. We provided them with some food and some socks.
After we left Pedro and Jenn, while we were driving, we encountered Joaquin, he did not want to go into treatment so he was given information about treatment by Mitchell and Eileen. We also provided Joaquin with food.
The Outreach team stopped at the encampment at the Nexus of 495 and 114. We engaged with Devon & Ricky and gave them food and socks and cosmetics. Devon & Ricky struggle with severe SUD and we’re contemplating about treatment but didn’t seem to have interest at the moment our team will continue to engage with Devon & Ricky, we also got their telephone number and sent them a text so they could reach out to us. Devin and Ricky struggle with severe substance use disorder, and they both have AIDS.
We walked over to Cheryl’s encampment across the road, and gave her some candies and some food. She did not seem to want any other services at the moment. Cheryl suffers with severe mental illness, beyond my scope to diagnose. She does not use substances, but has been homeless for a very long time. The story she tells about past wealth and fame do not make much sense.
Next the Outreach team, and the drug treatment workers stopped to check on Pete behind the dollar tree in South Lawrence. Pete was treating his feet, which were dirty. The Outreach team helped Paul with some disinfectant spray and helped him clean his feet.The last place the Outreach team and The treatment workers stopped was at the House Of Mercy. I connected with David, who I needed a phone number from since a housing worker was looking for him. We also connected with Maylee, Phil, Alexa, and Louis all said they wanted to go to treatment, but Maley and Philip disappeared. We were able to help Alexa get insurance and we were also able to secure treatment for Alexa and Louis.
At around 1:45 PM the Outreach team went back to the shelter to wrap up the days work. It was great working with Mitchell and Eileen, and having them there to help us get people into drug treatment
3:00 p.m. I left work, and I went back to my campsite. I moved my tent to higher ground, where it was flat. I was able to just drag the tent up the hill. Once the tent was secure I had a phone call with my girlfriend who wanted me to sleep over. And that’s what I did.