The Faces of ACMH

I coach clients on how to prevent reentry. The key to success is in meeting people where they are and helping them proceed from there. People are afraid. They have never had anyone knock on the door, encourage them to make a change, and stick around to support them through those changes-which are overwhelming. I have been where they are and I have been through what they are facing, so they trust me. I find creative solutions for each person and my supervisors support me. This flexibility allows me to tailor my support to each client and really meet their needs. ACMH does not have a one size fits all approach. I do everything I possibly can to help clients stay out of jail and help them become productive members of society. And to do that, I have to be flexible because everyone has a different set of needs.

Working in this role is very fulfilling, it is actually therapy for myself. It gives me a chance to give back. It keeps me grounded and reminds me that there go I. Nobody is immune.

ACMH gave me a home. Literally. I had not had a home setting in more than 10 years. I had been in the system, relying on hospitals. I was angry. It was me against the world. The day I met a caseworker from ACMH my entire life changed. That day, they drove me to a house to see if it might be a place I would like to live. I loved it. In that instant, my life changed. I moved into that house, now I play basketball in the neighborhood. I am a part of the community.

I meet with someone from ACMH three times a week. They help me set goals and reach them. If I have a problem, we address it together and work through it. I am mentally and physically well. I am also a Peer Specialist. I escort people to their appointments, run group meetings, help people develop life skills. I help others find the same freedom that ACMH helped me find. I feel like a success story. I love my life, and ACMH made that change happen for me.

Throughout my years at ACMH the agency has grown tremendously, yet the focus on quality has never wavered. The agency encourages professional growth while looking to engage in new initiatives aimed at improving and expanding services. There is a great deal of collaboration within the communities in which we work, this creates a sense that you are really part of a system that is moving towards change.

At ACMH we take a holistic approach to each individual, striving to address all the barriers impeding a person’s success so that where a person has been does not dictate where they can go or what they can achieve. We don’t focus on the individual’s limitations, but rather their strengths in overcoming obstacles.

Throughout the years ACMH has become the source of thousands of success stories highlighting people overcoming obstacles, achieving their goals, and proving that they don’t have to be defined by their diagnosis.

ACMH was a gamechanger for me. I have better housing because of ACMH. I have a job because of ACMH. I am happy because of what ACMH has helped me achieve. So many people in NYC struggle to find a home, to care for themselves and to manage their wellness. ACMH helps us by finding safe places to live and then by teaching life skills so people can get on their feet and take care of themselves. ACMH gives people hope. At ACMH people are able to enter the workforce or go to college. ACMH paves the way to success. With ACMH, life is better. And now I can be part of that support system by working with ACMH as a Peer Specialist.

At ACMH we help keep clients out of the hospital, reduce unnecessary ER visits, assist with medication compliance, and assure clients are connected to services in the community so they can remain stable. We are the eyes and ears for treatment providers as we meet with clients in their homes right in the community. Helping clients with serious mental health issues and/or chronic medical conditions find the benefits and essential services they need to remain in their communities has been very satisfying for me personally. I enjoy being able to care for these underserved populations and helping them find the supports they need.

As a native New Yorker, I love knowing that I am helping members of my community and in doing so improving life in the city for everyone. The internal satisfaction I get from my job assisting others is deeply rewarding.

Guests come in anxious initially, but after a few days they seem a lot more relaxed. The environment is so comforting, many guests often want to stay longer. As a Peer Counselor, I’ve explained what works for me personally to help individuals coming in cope with depression and anxiety. Without our Respite programs, I think our guests might otherwise have gone to the ER, or might never get any help. I knew one guest who was so traumatized by the ER that he said he would not have known what he’d do without Respite. I try to make our guests feel comfortable by sharing something about myself to help them let their guard down and be more relaxed. It’s a very rewarding job, I usually see a transition between day one, and the smile I get when someone is leaving.

Last year, I was living in a shelter – they referred me to ACMH, and since then, my life has been better, outstanding. The staff and people I live with have helped me a lot. The staff have given me a chance to get myself together.

Where I’m living, I accept that will be my home, because I have nowhere else to go. It’s been six years now since I’ve been hospital-free. ACMH is important in the community because it takes people from off the street, from out of the hospital, and places them in a home, where they can have a roof over their head. ACMH is truly a blessing for me. I am pain free now. I am fundamentally happy.

Prior to me going to ACMH, I was in places that I really didn’t want to be. Now I’m in ACMH. When people come visit me, they see that the apartment is nice. My confidence has definitely enhanced since I’ve been in the community. I’m happy. I feel great. I feel more independent. I’m still working on being more responsible. I’m still learning. I would recommend ACMH to others if they were able to get into the program because the staff is there and they care. I’m thankful to have a roof over my head in a nice place, and I feel safe. I’ve come a long way.

I came to ACMH in February 2019. I feel great having housing. Now I’m able to focus on my issues and my health. ACMH is very helpful for NYC because there are a lot of people suffering from mental illness who feel rejected. ACMH makes us feel wanted. I now have more than a year clean from drugs and alcohol, I have housing, I have people in my life that really care about me. And with the support of ACMH, the future looks a whole lot brighter.

I greatly enjoy the opportunity to work with adults who need assistance with meeting discharge criteria for the next level of housing. I believe in the services provided at ACMH to help those with mental health needs gain both housing and assistance that they otherwise might not be able to afford or access. We provide a relatively secure environment for our clients to cultivate their personal growth into independence with the hopes that they’ll be able to continue utilizing the habits and skills learned in our program when they graduate. One of my fondest memories formed while working at ACMH was assisting one of our clients in contacting their mother. The sound of elation in this client’s mom’s voice was almost as rewarding as the rare smile that formed on the client’s face while he spoke with her. Here at ACMH, the relationships we forge with our clients are deeper than that of social worker and client; we are an extensive support network that our residents can rely on and trust.