I was reminded this week why I am so grateful to be part of a team. Undoubtedly this is why I have chosen to work in hospital and clinic settings for 30+ years. I have worked in my current setting with the homeless for the last 11 years. In that time I have experienced that what is every day normal for us is anything but.
This week when a new client came into my office, drunk, recently beaten up, I called on this team. The Behavioral Health Consultant came, assessed, conferred with the medical team and recommended emergency room. Community Health Worker/Care Coordinator came, filled out cab voucher to get him to ER safely. He got there, was checked out and cleared medically.
Later in the week (and it is only Thursday) I found numerous messages from a client suggesting that she was fearful and thought that where she was staying was unsafe for her but feeling unable to get back to her own apartment. I tapped the lead Care Coordinator who assisted with emergency numbers for the police to get a special mental health team out to see her. They committed to do so.
Everyday normal is indeed anything but. This is good work. These men and women are amazing. The team with which I work is incredible. We do not do this work alone and this week this team reminded me that I do not have to.
I keep promising to any of you who follow me that I will again get consistent writing here. I keep breaking that promise, to you and to me. Today a client sat in front of me and challenged me that I need to be writing. He said a book. Can I be faithful in a blog? The little things before I am entrusted with the big ones?
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