CUPS Client Story: Kevin*
Finding the right care in the community
When it comes to the mental health challenges in our community, more and more time is being spent on prevention. Having vulnerable community members in and out of acute health care facilities doesn’t address their long-term challenges.
We also know that hospital admissions for people experiencing homelessness in Calgary cost $2559 more than for those who have housing.
This is why you’ll often find members of the CUPS Connect 2 Care (C2C) team at Calgary hospitals, working closely with the medical staff to help discharge vulnerable patients into an environment that can better support their goals of long-term housing and a sustainable living environment.
Connecting Kevin to the right level of care
It was at a local hospital that the CUPS C2C team first met Kevin*.
Kevin began using opiates and meth when he was 16 after his mother passed away. He aged out of the youth system at 18 and began living in emergency shelters or would sleep in train station terminals with his father, who was also experiencing homelessness. Kevin’s father lived with schizophrenia and had been experiencing homelessness for several years. Recently, he passed away due to opiate poisoning.
Kevin started making trips to the hospital for diabetic ketoacidosis: a potentially fatal build up on acids in the blood to an inconsistent insulin schedule. With a lack of medication, limited access to food, unstable housing and a substance use disorder, Kevin was struggling to manage his diabetes.
It was on one of these many hospital admissions that Kevin met the C2C team who started supporting him on a path to more stable housing and addictions treatment.
Community collaboration for a stronger path forward
C2C is designed to help bridge the gap between acute care and the many community programs and services that are available to support the vulnerable population in Calgary. Focusing on collaboration and connections, C2C started working with Kevin to introduce him to the right resources.
Starting with a transition from acute care to a detox centre, Kevin was able to secure an admission date at a treatment centre for a longer-term program. But while he was in detox, he also made some important steps. First, he completed his taxes, which gave him access to longer term medication coverage. Second, the C2C team connected him with Calgary Legal Guidance to work with him on past criminal charges. And finally, and most importantly for Kevin, he re-connected with his grandparents.
With the support of Kevin’s grandparents he had a temporary place to live while waiting for his treatment start date, and was able to connect with a family doctor to get ongoing diabetes care and education.
With help from C2C and his re-established support system, Kevin is building resilience and making plans for the future. He’s currently attending an addictions treatment centre and is hoping to go back to school in September to receive his GED.