SSHCPN: New National Consumer Group Getting Off To A Solid Start

When I left Operation Stand Down earlier this year, one of the things I miss the most from that departure, aside from all the incredibly great people I worked with at the agency, was the interaction I had with the folks still on the street.  As the Veteran Services Coordinator, my job was to lay out every single option I could think of for those still struggling to find their way off the street, and then make sure, to the best of my ability, that when said person went in search of the option(s), they would be able to connect with someone on the other end who would care as much as I did that the outcome, whatever it pertained to, was a successful one.

I took on the role of Recovery Specialist at the Center for Social Innovation (C4SI) because even though I wouldn't be working directly with consumers on a regular basis, the projects I am involved with would benefit not one or several but hundreds, perhaps thousands of people in the long run.

I have not been disappointed in this effort, let me tell you, and one of the reasons is because I've been placed in the lead role of supporting two national groups consisting of Consumer-Providers who are working to ensure that the lived experiences of the consumers are heard loud and clear at the uppermost levels of the Federal Government.  The good people at SAMHSA, along with a supportive and understanding staff from C4SI, have been completely and seriously behind this effort and, while it has been a learning experience for everyone, they have each worked diligently to ensure that the consumer voice is integrated into the big picture.  After all, when folks are talking shop at these places, they are talking about us.  It's only natural that if they want to know what makes us tick, what works and what doesn't, and how best to get their messages and resources to us, they ought to ask us.

So they did and now they're listening to what we have to say.  The first group, the PATH Consumer Provider Network (PCPN) has been up and running for about two years now and essentially stovepipes information from the local level directly up into the Federal policy-maker's offices.  Members of the group represent five states currently and ultimately the group is hoped to one day have a member from every state and the six territories within the ranks.  PATH deals primarily with outreach to persons experiencing homelessness.

The second group, the Services in Supportive Housing Consumer Peer-Specialist Network, has 8 members and has completed just its second meeting today.  This group is going to provide the federal project officers and policy-makers with information directly related to supportive housing, an area that is seeing increasing attention as individuals experiencing homelessness transition from the streets, thanks to efforts of outreach and effective case management, and enter housing that provides wrap around services.

To illustrate the critical importance of these wrap around services for people trying to re-adapt to standardized housing, consider what happened to residents of Tent City back in November of 2008, when a total of 26 camp members were placed into a fixed-site housing unit that had only minimal support services just prior to Thanksgiving.  Every single one of those individuals lost his or her housing, most of them within the first year.

Contrast this with Nashville agency Eckman Freeman's wrap around services, which boasts an 84 percent retention rate, and it becomes crystal clear that supportive housing is not just successful, but wildly so, when compared to the "house and hunt another" old-style approach.

I've been working with members of the SSH CPN group for about six months now, and am thrilled to tell you that as a new group, they are showing incredible enthusiasm and excitement for the formation and molding of this endeavor into something they can call their own.  I can tell you from a consumer perspective that I can't think of anything much more exciting than to finally have my voice heard in a meaningful way, and while I shouldn't speak for the new members, I'll bet every last one of them would agree with me.

I believe both these groups are opening a new door for services in homelessness, addiction, recovery and mental health and while stigma and cynicism related to just what these folks will bring to the table continue to remain, time will tell and already they are having a positive impact.

I would add here that the consumer voice isn't at odds with the practitioner's.  Rather, we hope to compliment and harmonize, if you will, with the voice of the professional treatment providers in order to bring the very best in policies, approaches and resources to the field.

What else could we hope for, eh?