Newsletter – December 2017
December 2017

Loretta worked in the medical field while raising five children until domestic violence left her homeless. After two years on the streets, she became connected with Integral Care and received the keys to her own apartment. For the first time in her life, she felt safe and was able to begin recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder.

You can help more people like Loretta. Integral Care is building Housing First Oak Springs, an apartment community with on-site wraparound supports that will house 50 of Austin’s individuals, half of whom will be veterans, experiencing homelessness, mental illness &/or substance use disorder.

Homelessness does not discriminate and can happen to anyone. With access to health care, case management and other services, residents get back on their feet and on the path to recovery. Your tax-deductible contribution will help build a strong foundation for Travis County neighbors in need.

Volunteers Needed
The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition is seeking 600 Point in Time Count General Volunteers for the 2018 Count. Volunteers are instrumental in Austin’s ability to carry out a successful count each year.
The Point In Time Count is an annual census of persons experiencing homelessness. Numbers from this census are used to contribute to both local and national data on homelessness.  The results also guide federal and local goals and provide documentation for federal funding opportunities.

For more information or to register, contact Casey Soberon, Volunteer Coordinator, at: pointintime@austinecho.org

Meet the Staff: Stephanie Dziuk

We recently met with Stephanie Dziuk, who works on the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. This program provides treatment, rehabilitation and mental health support services to adults living with mental illness and substance use disorder who have experienced multiple hospitalizations. 

Tell us about your role at Integral Care.
I am pursuing my LPCI (Licensed Professional Counselor Internship) and must collect 3,000 hours before I can become fully licensed. On Mondays, I hold individual counseling with four different people, most of which is trauma counseling. I also facilitate the Social Skills Group with another one of my teammates. Every Wednesday, we alternate between serving clients in the community and practicing our skills as a group in the office. Clients come to me for individual counseling or I meet them in their homes.

In September 2016, Mr. Rathgeber issued a challenge – if $2 million is raised by December 31, 2017 he will boost that amount by $1 million, helping us meet our fundraising goals. We are so close to our goal. Your gift or pledge, no matter the amount, will make a difference. 
Sincerely,

Ellen Richards
Chief Strategy Officer
Integral Care
Housing First Oak Springs is a project of Integral Care