Project Hope
Project Hope is a collaborative program between Sonoma County Division of Mental Health, Community Support Network, Buckelew Independent Living Services and Goodwill Industries to provide intensive ongoing support, housing and employment for people who are homeless and have severe mental health issues. Mental Health Staff provide the intensive case management; Community Support Network provides outreach and emergency housing; Buckelew provides long term housing opportunities and Goodwill provides work experience and community employment opportunities.
Client Profile
Joe came to Project Hope in early 2002. At the time of his intake, he was homeless and diagnosed as having both anorexia and psychosis. He suffered from extreme social phobias and an ongoing sense of social isolation.
After joining Project Hope, the support staff first attended to his housing and medical needs. Joe had not worked for several years and was afraid of the “work world.” As part of the Work Experience Program through Project Hope, Joe expressed a desire to explore community involvement options that would be appropriate for his point in recovery. This process started with an assessment of his general interest areas. This was an effective way to build rapport with Joe and led to lively discussions of various work and education options. We also visited schools and work settings to collect information. Eventually, however, the process became more present time oriented, and our talks turned to what to do right now.
After further exploration, Joe revealed a work interest to be a Book Seller, which we pursued. After advocating for Joe, we were able to place him in a bookstore near to his residence. This was a big step due to his issues as stated above. He worked at the bookstore doing inventory, shelving, and store maintenance for about six months. Joe enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the bookstore business. The experience was a great assist in lowering his sense of isolation. As Project Hope is a long term service program, we continue to work with Joe to assist him in defining more succinctly what type of work he would enjoy pursuing.
