ADULT & CHILD HEALTH ADVANCES AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH TWO MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Renovated Indianapolis apartments set to open spring 2019 INDIANAPOLIS – Work is well underway on two Indianapolis housing projects aimed at providing affordable housing for persons who are needing community-based services. In 2018, the Indianapolis Housing and Development Authority awarded federal 4 percent low income housing tax credits (LIHTC) to the Ellis on Illinois property and Helen Louise on Washington property, two rehabilitation projects developed and owned by Adult & Child Health and Pearl Real Estate Companies. The combined $2 million in LIHTC allocations are being used to generate approximately $5.5 million in private equity. Total development cost for the projects is $8.1 million. Financing partners include Star Bank, who provided $1.5 million, and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, who provided $3.5 million. The Helen Louise projects also received $546,000 in historic preservation tax credits. Adult & Child Health, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit, will provide the residents’ health care, mental health services, addictions treatment, and other services to promote recovery and independent living. Pearl Real Estate Companies, a vertically integrated corporation with housing developments in four states, will develop and operate the properties. Adult & Child and Pearl joined forces in 2016 to deliver quality, affordable housing to vulnerable, underserved populations. Prior to acquisition, the Ellis and Helen Louise properties were in dilapidated condition. Both buildings are being renovated with all new mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, new windows, new roofs, masonry restoration and repair, and all new finishes throughout the apartments. “Affordable housing is desperately needed by many families, but even more so for persons facing complex challenges,” said Allen Brown, Adult & Child Health CEO. “In addition to providing low-income and homeless persons a safe, dignified place to live, A&C staff are able to be on-site so that residents have access to services they need for long-term success.” The Helen Louise on Washington Street will provide 30 modern units renovated according to the National Preservation guidelines for historically significant areas. Nestled in the Irvington neighborhood on Indianapolis’ eastside, it includes resident gathering areas, is close to local shopping and amenities, and is on the IndyGo bus line. The Ellis on Illinois apartments are in the burgeoning Crown Hill neighborhood, where significant private and public investments are happening. Located on the IndyGo bus line and near the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and new Tarkington Park, the Ellis’ 24 units will feature resident gathering areas, generous kitchens, and open modern floor plans. Adult & Child Health, accredited by the Joint Commission, is a leading primary care, behavioral health and social services provider in Central Indiana. For information about Adult and Child Health, please contact Adam Wire at [email protected]. For information about Pearl Real Estate Companies, please contact Brad Richey at [email protected]
How Blue Triangle helped a homeless man recover
Luis Rios and his daughter, Jenaveve, relax outside the home where Rios’ wife, Griselda, lives. Like lots of folks, Luis Rios has a countdown calendar on his cellphone. The Indianapolis resident received an alert Nov. 20 from the calendar that reminded him how far he’s come. “You have been clean and sober for 13 months,” it said. “I would have never expected things to be like this,” Rios said that day, from his wife’s Indy home. “I don’t have a job yet, but I’m going step by step, slowly. I’m doing something. My wheels were spinning for a few months. I was sober and clean, but I wasn’t doing anything. I developed a lot of patience.” What’s Rios doing? He’s taking classes to become a recovery coach. He figures his firsthand addiction experience, and his recovery through the Blue Triangle program, which Adult & Child Health supports, helps him relate to others who are battling addiction or homelessness. He’s dealt with both. “I lost my family,” Rios said of his time on the streets. “The most painful part was I lost my daughter. She would hang up the phone, pretending the line cut out. That really really hurt. I’ve got them both back now (wife, Griselda, and 11-year-old daughter, Jenaveve). I’ve got the respect of them. Instead of focusing on relapsing, I’m focusing on helping others.” RELATED CONTENT: Learn more about Adult & Child Health’s Homeless & Housing Resource Program How Blue Triangle battles the homeless problem The program is designed to provide safety, security and comprehensive health care for people who are experiencing homelessness, and help them rebuild their lives. Partners in Housing owns the building, Adult & Child Health and Anthem provide staffing to the tenants, and the City of Indianapolis pays for their room and board. Rios discovered the program in September 2017, when he decided it was time to get help. He stayed in the house for two days, then entered Valle Vista Hospital in Greenwood for a week of treatment. He then returned to the Blue Triangle, where he has lived ever since. Rios and the other residents can access a food pantry, transportation information and other resources at Blue Triangle. Rios said Amanda Wills of Anthem placed him on the list for Blue Triangle housing, and he still speaks with her once every couple of days. He also works with Adrianne Harris at Adult & Child Health, his outpatient therapist for addictions treatment. She meets with Rios twice monthly to make sure he’s following his treatment plan goals and maintaining his recovery. “Luis is a huge success,” Harris said. “After opening up about where he has been and what he has gone through, he works hard every day. I am so proud of him for following pursuit on becoming a certified recovery coach. Luis’ desire to give back to others in need is a true testimony of the hard work that he has put into himself and his program.” (video courtesy of Anthem) What’s next for Rios He currently spends a little over half his time at his wife Griselda’s house, and the rest of the time at Blue Triangle. He recently received a scholarship to become a certified recovery coach. Rios is keeping his employment options open, but mentioned he’d like to work in an emergency room at a hospital. Several local hospitals have positions where employees inform overdose patients or other drug-related patients about resources such as Blue Triangle. “I’ve always been the type to help people, even in my past days,” he said. “It hurts to see a lot of people and a lot of friends that are in the past, and they’re still stuck, and there’s nobody to help out. I want to help them. I want to help anybody that needs it.” Harris said Rios is following through on all of the program’s requirements and reports no challenges with his recover. She believes Rios serves as a great example of what can happen when clients utilize Adult & Child Health’s resources during their recovery paths. “He is a living testimony of what can happen if you focus and work through hardships,” she said of Rios. “He is living proof that recovery IS possible.” RELATED CONTENT: Learn more about Adult & Child Health’s Transitional Living Program.
Spotlight On: Wraparound Services
(Editor’s note: Names have been changed to protect anonymity) This team will laugh often, require respectful communication from each other, laugh again. This is the mission of the Smith family’s Wraparound Services team. On a Monday evening, they all circle around the family’s kitchen table for a Child and Family Team Meeting. They talk and joke like they’re about to share a meal together. They’re all here to support Ashley, the Smiths’ youngest daughter. She has battled anxiety, self-harm, disordered eating, a suicide attempt, and withdrawal from school, all within the past year. They’ve pulled up chairs, distributed paper packets, and someone tosses the first question into the mix like a beach ball: “What’s gone well this month?” RELATED CONTENT: See how Adult & Child Health’s Youth Development team offers and if it’s a good fit for your child What are Wraparound Services? This strengths-based and positivity-based program has been embedded within Adult & Child Health for a long time, catching some of the most severe at risk youth cases. That said, Wraparound Services are bigger than Adult & Child. It’s an internationally used model of care that embraces severely unstable kids, not letting go until they can stand on their own. Youths ages 6 through 17 connect with this program through a multitude of referral sources: local psychiatrists, residential facilities, Department of Child Services, and any Adult & Child service line. A large majority of referrals come from A&C’s School Based service. A&C has two Wraparound teams, one in Johnson County, one in Marion County. The Johnson County team is the exclusive provider in its area, but Marion County has three other agencies that provide Wraparound: Midtown, Aspire, and Gallahue. But it’s never been a competition among the Marion County providers. Until recently, when Gallahue relocated, All Wraparound providers work together and collaborate out of the same 603 E. Washington St. location. RELATED CONTENT: See how Adult & Child Health’s Open Access program can assist those with mental health difficulties Each A&C team has a Leader, a Lead Clinician, a group of Facilitators, and an Access Coordinator who acts as a gatekeeper, making sure potential clients meet the criteria. Since Wraparound involves so many support sources, the providing agency constantly works with outside entities and independent providers to create the perfect social and supportive network for a family to heal. How do Wraparound Services work? Elaine Trepanier, Marion County Lead Clinician and Wrap Facilitator, facilitates for the Smith family. Her job is to lead and manage the entire team through the entire process. Ashley’s team consists of her mom, dad, grandmother, sister, A&C Wrap Therapist Sophie Foster, and a Habilitation Provider. This person helps her to work on skills and interact with the outside world. A Family Support and Training Provider also works with the parents and family to understand diagnoses and give parenting tips. Elaine’s earnest admiration for this family shines through when she talks about Ashley’s case. “She hasn’t gone to school in a year, and she just started to go again one to two days a week,” she said. “It’s brilliant. She’s got such a great, sarcastic sense of humor. I love this child.” “The coolest thing about Wrap, I think, is that it’s all based on family voice and choice,” said Lisa Kress, Wrap Team Leader for Johnson County. This means the family gets to choose every person they work with throughout the process. Who oversees Wraparound Services workers? The Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction certifies everyone who works in Wraparound. An agency employs the facilitators, but there are many different types of independent professionals who are also certified in the Wrap process. Those individuals earn a spot on what’s called a “pick list.” This is a reference guide for families to look through providers and pick who they think might be right for them. A facilitator can set up interviews and meetings to help them choose. The family can switch providers at any point, including agency people. This helps them develop the best team possible and lets the clients wield more control over their recovery. Most teams consist of a therapist, a Habilitation Provider (Hab) and a Family Support and Training provider (FST). Other important people in the youth’s life can also join the team as natural supports. How ‘Ashley’ utilizes Wraparound Services Ashley’s grandmother is her natural support on the team . She was the only family member Ashley allowed to stay in the room while practicing her slam poetry piece after the CFT meeting. “That’s the thing about Wrap,” Trepanier said. “You get to be creative in ways other types of services don’t.” Ashley attends salsa dancing lessons and Inner Beauty workshops and writes slam poetry. She has also attended yoga sessions with Elaine and Tiffany Covele, Marion County Wraparound team leader and Ashley’s habilitation provider, as part of her Plan of Care. The Wraparound Services team is essentially extended family you get to choose. It’s a path to healing you get to alter at any point. “It’s an in-depth process,” said Lisa Kress, a team leader for Johnson County Wraparound. “(There are) Lots of meetings, lots of past info. We build on what went well, we push you outside your comfort zone, but you have a team behind you and you’re never alone. I always say, ‘If you don’t like something, we can change it … When you remind people of that, you can see that sigh of relief.” The strength of Wraparound Services seems to be its strength-based philosophy. “We build on what’s gotten the family through tough times before,” Trepanier said. How Wraparound Services turns negative circumstances into a positive environment Families who come into the program are struggling. They’ve suffered a lot. But the Wraparound Services process often seems like a celebration, even during crisis. It’s almost a mindset. Families celebrate every victory. They focus on what’s going right instead of what’s going wrong. You follow your passions. Then, you discard things not meant for you.
Spotlight on: Job Links
Anyone who has conducted a job search knows it’s not easy. The fill-out-an-application, go-to-an-interview, get-hired progression makes it seem simple, but it it’s not. For the marginalized populations Adult & Child Health serves, a job could mean the first foothold onto a more stable life. Layers of mental illness, disability, or injury, however, are hurdles that are difficult to clear alone. A&C’s Job Links program serves as a link into the employment world. Its mission is to find jobs for those who need both a partner and an advocate. How does Job Links help your job search? The Job Links team includes a team leader and a seven-person employment staff. Five employment specialists work in the community along with a full-time career coach, and three of the five employment specialists also work as career coaches. Employment Specialists manage a caseload of clients. They work with each person to determine and execute the best method to achieve lasting employment through a job search. Though new, the school coaches are an important addition to the team. After a yearlong process to establish the program, specialists are currently making waves with high school-aged clients. School coaches work with students who have Individualized Education Plans, 504 Plans and disabilities. This helps them prepare for college & careers. “I get tons of great feedback about the work they’re doing in schools,” Team Leader Carla Orr said. The school coaches have also begun working with School Based teams, encouraging collaboration and generating referrals. All team members work with clients 1-on-1, building a relationship along with a resume. This often begins with a get-to-know-you phase where a coach digs into a client’s personality, interests, and struggles. They ultimately want to help their clients get their dream jobs. First, however, they focus on each milestone and manage setbacks as they come. It’s the most sustainable method of working through the program. Click here to learn more about how to participate in the Job Links program. How Job Links helped John Witcher “I spend the majority of my time out in the community,” said John Witcher, an employment specialist who has worked at Adult & Child for more than a year. “I had a client do a work experience session at Goodwill where I go in and observe them on the job for a couple hours. (We want) to see, before we place them, do they have enough stamina? Does it look like they have any knee or back pain? Can they get along with others? I do a lot of work to build relationships with local businesses. You don’t want to set somebody up to fail.” This work isn’t just a job to Witcher. It’s a calling that’s rooted in personal understanding of how much the team’s job search expertise can offer people. His A&C journey first started decades ago, as a Job Links client. “I work very very hard at what I do because that used to be me on the other side of the table,” Witcher said. “I take it personally, I’m in it to change lives.” RELATED CONTENT: Learn more about Adult & Child Health’s Open Access program for patients who are suffering from mental illness Through working with Job Links as a client, he found and sustained a steady job for 16 years. He then went on to earn an MBA and eventually returned to Adult & Child, this time as a Job Links Employment Specialist to give back to the program that meant so much to him. “When I first came in contact with Adult and Child in 1994, I was just a scared person with a mental illness,” Witcher said. “A lot of very great people have helped me out along the way and I plan to do the same.” ‘I believe everybody can do something’ Orr describes the client-coach relationship in a job search as a type of partnership. That approach seems to help clients retain the jobs they get more often by helping foster a sense of accomplishment. “I want to work as hard as you do to find a job,” she said. “There may be things that you can’t do or aren’t able to do for certain reasons, but I believe everybody can do something.” Orr and Witcher agree that one of the most difficult parts of the job search is battling the stigma around mental illness & invisible disabilities. Disability inclusion has improved in recent years, it could still be better. Breaking down those barriers with employers is imperative to creating opportunities for clients. Orr said her teammates have a social worker’s heart, but also, “they have a marketing and PR ability that necessitates a lot of the work they do. If you can’t go out and talk to employers or if you’re too shy to present in front of a business, you’re not going to be able to develop a specific niche job for someone or an opportunity to shadow,” she said. Team members take pride in educating employers, championing their clients, and working creatively to generate unforeseen opportunities. Job Links’ funding challenges Historically, Job Links maintained a strong relationship with the state’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program, which provided most of Job Links’ clients and funding. VR funds job-specific services to people who qualify based on disability, injury, and/or mental illness. But recent changes in the VR program have drastically tightened its eligibility and shifted the pay structure, hitting Job Links hard. “When I first started, I had about 90 percent VR clients,” Witcher said in April. “Now it’s about 50 (percent).” Currently, Witcher said VR clients account for only about 20 percent of the caseload. They work primarily with A&C clients who are also participating in VR services. This change shocked the program financially and in a practical sense. VR gives Job Links the opportunity to bill for its exact purpose: career coaching and all career-related items. Working with other funding sources tempers Job Links’ ability to bill directly for career-related coaching. How Job Links is working around
