Meet Karen!

Our Mental Health teams provide essential interventions to people like Karen. Our teams first met Karen on the streets in Skid Row. She was diagnosed with a developmental disability and presented with severe mental health issues including limitations in comprehension and memory. “Karen’s mental health condition was so severe that she didn’t understand that she was homeless,” says Becky Romero, C3 Substance Abuse Case Manager with The People Concern. Becky, along with a Clinician from The People Concern’s Downtown Wellness Center as well as a Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatrist from partnering organizations, worked together to engage with Karen, gain her trust and build rapport. “We took a ‘whatever it takes ‘approach to help move Karen into permanent housing,” says Becky. The entire team held her hand every step of the way. We are proud that today Karen is housed, healthy and safe! She is now residing in an assisted living facility, where she receives a high level of care and support. “I like my new home,” says Karen.