Mental Health Association Oklahoma Outreach Team Aims To Reduce Homelessness

The problem of homelessness is complicated, an inside look into the Psychological Well being Affiliation Oklahoma’s (MHAO) outreach group highlights how a lot they do to assist these experiencing homelessness.  

Program organizers stated it typically takes a number of businesses to assist somebody discover sustainable housing.  

The outreach group being step one in that journey. 

“I believe it’s a massive dialog proper now, the difficulty of homelessness in Oklahoma Metropolis, and it’s one thing that we’re actually looking for the perfect methods to assist them,” Kayla Mills, one of many Program Managers at MHAO, stated.  

Whereas every individual’s story is exclusive, MHAO stated many encounter their outreach group.  

“They’re the boots on the bottom group, road outreach is the place all the pieces begins,” Shelah Farley, the Program Supervisor for his or her Avenue Outreach Staff, stated.

Their group typically walks alongside folks experiencing homelessness and gives them with the subsequent steps.  

 “Anybody that’s experiencing homelessness dwelling on the road are in what we name ‘survival mode.’ when you’re in survival mode, you aren’t anxious about something apart from what you will eat and the place you will sleep,” she stated.   

A number of partnerships just like the one they’ve with The Oklahoma Division Of Psychological Well being and Substance Abuse Providers enable them to carry a number of choices to every individual. 

“As soon as we’re attending to know anyone constructing that relationship, constructing that belief, we be taught what their wants are and might join them to the proper companies that may assist them with these targets that they’ve,” Farley stated.  

All with the hope of discovering them sustainable housing.  

“On the finish of the day, we’re all human, we’re simply in numerous conditions. With the ability to be there for anyone and stroll with them by way of that journey as a result of there’s life past homelessness and that’s the reason I selected to enter this work,” she stated.