This story was written by HereTogether’s volunteer storyteller Ellen Clarke with support from New Narrative.
Before experiencing homelessness William had a warehouse management job, a family, a home and enjoyed spending time outdoors. He owned a pickup truck, had dogs and went on hunting and fishing trips. Mental illness interrupted this stability and he eventually ended up divorced and on his own.
Living with mental illness along with being homeless is a common struggle for many of the folks helped by New Narrative nonprofit and its program, the Polaris Transition Team. This was the situation for 53-year-old William, who recently found housing along with mental wellness support and encouragement from Polaris team mentors.
Peer support at New Narrative is driven by what clients need to get back on track, whether it is housing, a job or to connect with their families. Every path is different, every person is unique and they provide support with trauma informed practices and lived experience. The Polaris Transition Team works alongside individuals toward recovery and community integration. Clinical Case Manager Dee Guitierez says, “It’s about relationship building and a long term bond.”
The Polaris Transition Team works in partnership with the Washington County Forensic Team and the Oregon State Hospital. The team supports people who are unable to assist in their own defense in leaving the Washington County Jail or Oregon State Hospital Community Restoration Services. While navigating the legal system, the goal is to transition into a place that fits their mental health needs. The team consists of two Peer Support Specialists, one Certified Recovery Mentor and a Clinical Case Manager, along with a Data Analyst and Peer Director.
Without a home, William survived outside for eight months and had to beg for money, food and cigarettes. One day he walked into a convenience store with $5.00 and asked for an 89 cent cigar, placing a dollar on the counter. The cashier asked for ID, which William did not have. The cashier refused to give him back his dollar and told him to leave the store. William got angry and it escalated into an altercation. The cashier called the police and William spent more than 30 days in jail.
From jail, William was discharged to the Oregon State Hospital, and then NW Regional Reentry Program from April 2021 to October 2022. At NW Regional he received daily medication and met with a social worker who connected him with ASSIST to apply for social security disability income and eventually with the Polaris team at New Narrative. Polaris met William at NWRRC and began working with him to apply for housing, medical care and a job.
Polaris stood up for William in court when it was time to determine the next step. Guitierez informed the judge that William was actively working with Polaris and meeting all his goals for Community Restoration. With this support, he was free to go. They put him up in a hotel, and supplied him with groceries, clothing and hygiene supplies. He recieved much-needed glasses and a phone. William said, “Polaris allowed me to move around on my own and be independent.”
He has been living in the hotel for five months and searching for a job with the help of Central City Concern. William’s job skills include warehouse logistics and he hopes to find employment that is close to where he lives. Polaris has also helped William with creating a resume and online job hunting with support from WorkSource Oregon.
It can be challenging to get medical help for mental illness without paperwork and an I.D. Through Polaris, William has a prescriber and a counselor. He said, “Polaris has always been fantastic and professional.”
Case manager Gutierrez explains that peer support goes beyond the status quo of the system and is transformative, not reforming. Staff take time to get curious about people’s experiences and stories, more than just who they are on paper. A lot of folks Polaris serves come from the state hospital or jail. Looking at someone’s charges and a chart doesn’t tell their side of the story or capture the context behind what they’ve been through.
William points out that when people are homeless they want something to grasp onto and it is best to do something to help, even if it’s just a few dollars or a meal.
“A lot of things I learned on the streets most people don’t want to deal with on a daily basis.” William remembers having infected feet because his shoes didn’t fit and riding buses as far as he could go without paying fare.
Polaris staff share that William always has a kind word for people on the street. His goal is to help people who have been incarcerated, houseless and hospitalized and give back to the community that helped him.
When describing William, Peer Support Specialist Chris Willis at New Narrative said, “He’s like a morning cup of coffee, a pick me up. A human helper.”