A man came to us a couple of years ago. He had been living in a tent in the woods for years. He even wintered outdoors. He came into the shelter from time to time but he really preferred to keep to himself. He would stop by for a shower and some food, check his mail and would then head back out. He suffered from alcoholism and he suffered terribly. He became very sick and found out that somehow he had contracted tuberculosis. A series of other health complications followed. The man recovered. He began to work with Shelter House through outreach and over time, he became more engaged. We started from scratch. Today this man has been sober for over 4 years (the longest by far in his adult life). He has his own apartment. He is working fulltime and volunteers every week.
STAR case management staff began working with this single, unemployed, Caucasian, middle-aged homeless male resident of Iowa in September 2005, following referral from a Probation Officer, 6th Judicial District Department of Corrections, and Shelter House Outreach. The client was a veteran of the armed forces with a less than honorable discharge due to problems incurred while under the influence of alcohol. This client reported being homeless since losing his job in another Iowa county in 1994. The client came to Johnson County in 1995 and had been homeless, living outside under a tarp, at the outskirts of town since arriving here. The client attained one year of technical schooling after graduation from high school. In the 9 years prior to becoming involved in the STAR Program, this client incurred 98 legal charges, all while intoxicated. This client’s longest lifetime period of employment was 5 years during 1988-1993 prior to coming to Johnson County. His only employment in Johnson County was 45 sporadic days as a temporary factory worker in 2002-2003.
The table below illustrates the financial costs of this one indifvidual before he came to the Star Program:
Since becoming involved with the STAR Program, the client has been arrested 1 time and spent 1 day in jail. He lives in a single room. He pays $80 per month on fines, pays taxes, and pays premium for Iowa Cares Medicaid Insurance. He utilizes support services of case management, a budget counselor, an employment specialist and psychiatric treatment and medication for depression. He participates in Alcoholics Anonymous on a daily basis.