Do you understand what it feels like to be helpless? Or hopeless or homeless? (Or honest, hungry and hard working?) Many of us have experienced these states of fluctuating-varying circumstances. Oftentimes—our circumstances are beyond our control. How we cope or choose to deal with our circumstances is another thing entirely. We may be honest and hardworking, but find ourselves hungry and homeless. We may be hungry for answers or solutions to life’s big problems yet have a roof over our head.
Please realize: our temporary circumstances don’t define who were are deep inside. The true inner-secret person of the heart is much different (i.e. than any presenting symptoms of any diagnosed disease). Whether we are healthy, unhealthy, homeless or hungry…these changing, temporary states don’t tell our whole story! We are much more than where we happen to live or not happen to live. We are so much more that what we eat or not happen to eat. We are more than what we do for work or not do for work. Some of us cannot help where we find ourselves in this moment in time at the start of this new year. The point is: it is a new day for fresh starts.
Some of us are suffering from poor decision making. Some of us are suffering from poor mental or physical health. Many of us are suffering in one way or another, but have hope for a better 2016. What is your personal hope for 2016?
I don’t believe in making resolutions that are impossible to reach. I just try to let my yes mean yes and my no mean no. Consistency in my interactions and relationships. A living of honesty. It’s hard being honest with ourselves, isn’t it? Especially when not balanced mentally and needing extra help…say professionally or extra support from peers, family and friends. Where can You find the extra help or support you may need?
Where are you at now? Where do you hope to be in 2016? May be, it’s in the spot you now occupy or maybe, it’s further along in your recovery. Perhaps, you are indeed homeless, but remember home is where is the heart is, right? So, where is your heart? Where is your heart taking you in 2016? My hope is that 2016 will bring you peace, all the healthy food you need for mind and body, work that helps provide for you and your loved ones.
Hope exists for most of us…who have belief in positive change. If you can identify a change you need to make for 2016…go for it! Wishing You much success, help, home!
Please check out this inspirational article recently published about homelessness and mental illness. Raising awareness about these important issues is paramount for our community.
{Recently in the Herald Tribune published an article about the homeless and mental illness. The article featured a mother and daughter struggling and coming to terms with living with co-occurring diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, bipolar and struggling for seven years with the effects. I encourage you to read the article. The article also quotes our own Vicki…} Here are some highlights:
NORTH PORT, Fla. – Jourdan Miller used to travel the world performing as a champion Irish dancer. She was a “teen leader,” her mother Joyce said of Jourdan’s life seven years ago — before the “ugly intruder” arrived.
“Vicki D’Agostino, chief operating officer of Charlotte Behavioral Health Care, based in Punta Gorda, knows the limitations of the federal and state budgets all too well.
CBHC provides a wide range of services, including outpatient, psychiatric, children and adolescent, crisis, family support and prevention, and substance abuse outpatient and recovery services. D’Agostino said the organization’s core services, like therapy and prevention, are underfunded.
“Our per capita funding in Florida is extremely low,” D’Agostino said. “We have to make a dollar stretch much further than some other states.”
Almost 50 percent of CBHC’s funding goes to the center’s crisis system, which comprises its locked crisis-stabilization units for adults and children — places where patients usually are kept involuntarily because they are suicidal or a threat to themselves or others — and the center’s inpatient substance abuse programs.
D’Agostino said CBHC’s contract with the state’s managing entity is for $6.2 million this fiscal year. Approximately $3 million goes to CBHC’s CSU and recovery center. According to D’Agostino, the remaining 51 percent of funds go toward outpatient, medication, residential and case-management services.
“There are very little prevention dollars in any of this — less than 1 percent of it, really,” she said. “More money gets funneled into treatment of an existing problem, versus preventing a problem.”
Herald Tribune Referance
†Published: January 3, 2016: Housing a dire need for mentally ill | By Allison Shirk| http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20160103/wire/160109907?p=1&tc=pg
‡Vicki D’Agostino, of Charlotte Behavioral Health Care Quoted: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20160103/wire/160109907?p=4&tc=pg