Many of our constituents may wonder: What happens to residents of Bonaventure House or The Harbor after they leave? Do our former clients remain healthy and stably housed? How often do former residents relapse?
The answer to these questions is found in our After Care program. This program is unique in two ways:
- Former residents stay connected to a community that they've been a part of for two years by returning to a weekly Aftercare group.
- Current residents can learn from the collective experience of those once in their situation, and plan appropriately for life after Bonaventure House and The Harbor.
As Bonaventure House Social Work Supervisor David Dempsey says, After Care starts the minute a new resident walks through the doors of Bonaventure House and The Harbor.
The theme of the program is connection. The After Care program provides an opportunity for former residents to form stronger connections with each other, current residents, and staff in order to provide the additional support a former resident may need or want. It offers supportive services to ensure long-term stability, success, and housing for each former client. Services include emergency financial assistance for utilities, rent, food, and transportation in times of crisis. Staff follows up with them for a year to monitor their progress and offer any supportive assistance needed.
Since we've started the After Care program, Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry can concretely see the success of our Transitional Living Program and our residents. We now know that:
- 100 percent of former residents adhered to their HIV medication regimen
- 100 percent remained engaged in HIV primary care
- 100 percent remained engaged in behavioral health care
- 87 percent have been able to maintain their sobriety
- 87 percent have remained stably housed
- 87 percent have paid their rent monthly, and
- 100 percent have had consistent access to food.
Of particular note is that 37 percent of former residents have obtained employment and 12 percent have begun a formalized education program.
More important than these statistics is the connection that current and former residents feel toward each other and our community and the hope in knowing that they too can lead successful lives after leaving our program.
For residents such as Jim B., After Care is about sharing experience, strength, and hope. He tells current residents, "I now have my own place to live where I'm responsible for paying the rent, I work full time, and I'm in school. It never would have happened without Bonaventure House."