This message was self-deleted by its author

[daredtowork]

298. I totally agree, and you are wonderful patient and perceptive

Thank you for being so understanding.

In California what TTW needs is called wrap-around services. Unfortunately around here you can only get that if you are designated "chronically homeless" or you have an eviction notice in hand. This has been frustrating for me, because I needed some of those services, and I had to cobble together a lot for myself from different agencies like the Dept. of Rehab and services for the disabled. I was VERY lucky in that I had a situation that stabilized my housing at that time. If I had been in TTW's situation, I would have been homeless. The system drives people into homelessness primarily because there is nothing that tries to keep people in their current housing (too expensive). That is why I empathize and feel very sensitive to what TTW seems to be going through.

The minute I saw TTW's first post, I tried to research such wrap-around services for her and PM'd her to try to advice her on what to ask 211 for. I tried to look for someone on DU to visit her personally: she did need someone to intervene - not because she needed some control freak to come take everything away from her, but because she needed to get a case manager who could organize "wrap-around services" for her. I cannot emphasize enough that Social Services DOES NOT DO THAT. Everyone thinks that's what Social Services does. Not in major urban areas these day. Social Services just processes Federal paperwork. They don't do jack to help you.

Another thing TTW needs to do is find a nonprofit (preferably staffed by lawyers and knowledgeable advocates) that can regularly help you deal with problems from Social Services and other government programs. These problems are devastating whenever a casual error occurs. You need to be able to handle them quickly on your end. I'm so lucky to have found where to go for that help, some agency or program screws up almost monthly - knowing where to go to fax a quick appeal with a legal signature is a life saver!

TTW does not sound like she's in a condition to easily locate these things for herself. She may even need a referral. It feels like a catch-22 to advocate for yourself as incapable when you are showing you are capable by advocating for yourself! Sigh. I once made a list of all the contradictions I was caught in - it was about a page long.

Thank you again for your attempt to try to lift the burden of the dog, even though it failed. I really fear that factor is going to be the one that drives TTW into homelessness. If she can just find a place that promises to give Yoshi back to her, she may still be willing to release him despite feeling that her trust was broken now. She can't take care of Yoshi, and I'm sure she wants the best for him.

For everyone who has seen me grouch about the original Clinton "reform of Welfare as We Know it", why I keep harping on welfare as something akin to torture now, and why I keep pointing out that Hillary has not addressed these problems in her welfare platform: this is the reason. For people in this particular situation, which I understand well, the system is broken, and no politician is making a move to fix it or even acknowledging the issue. There needs to be bridge rent programs to keep people in their homes BEFORE they become homeless, and their needs to be a revival of social work for easier access to wrap-around services so you don't have to become "chronically homeless" first.

Bless you again, msanthrope (and ex).