Oftentimes we have clients who just need a little help to get back on track. Maybe they need a utility bill paid for a couple of months. Sometimes though, folks need the benefit of many of our services before their lives are stable. The following story is about such a client, how we were able to help her with several UCAN services, and how she herself put in a lot of hard work to get her life back on track.
When we first met Patricia, she had just relocated to Roseburg. All four of her children were in foster care. Patricia had previously been incarcerated and was on probation. She owned very little, had no job, no housing. She was given custody of her children upon relocating, but lived in a homeless shelter at that time. Her first stop at UCAN was to seek housing.
As someone in recovery from a substance abuse disorder, our property management staff was able to offer her one of our transitional units (a unit with a maximum stay of two years). She moved in to her unit within a couple of weeks of getting her children back. When she signed her lease, she agreed to regularly participate in a program of recovery, and to work with a UCAN case manager. As she says, “This program held me accountable in my recovery. It was the foundation I needed to rebuild my life and to be a happy, healthy mother to my children.”
But we know that recovery is hard, and that those who are successful in their recovery must work continuously to maintain sobriety. Patricia did just that. Within her first six months living in her new unit, she had her child welfare case closed, was released from probation, and completed an outpatient treatment program at ADAPT. She also completed a parenting class and a women’s empowerment class. On top of all that, she found her first full-time job.
Patricia benefitted from other UCAN programs during this time. She received utility assistance to help pay her energy bills. She participated in UCAN’s Rent Well program, learning how to overcome rental barriers and become a model tenant. As a graduate of this program, she qualified for a $5,000 landlord incentive, which later helped her obtain permanent housing. With young children, she received WIC assistance, allowing her to improve her family’s nutrition. She also enrolled two of her children in Head Start, where they received comprehensive early childhood services.
Patricia’s life has turned around, with Patricia doing much of the hard work. As she continues on the path of recovery, she reports: “Today, we are all happy, healthy, and thriving. I just celebrated three years clean and sober in December. I will forever be thankful for everything UCAN has helped me with.” We, in turn, congratulate Patricia for everything she has done to become the successful person she is today.
