Our mission to end homelessness would not be nearly as successful without the dedication of community partners like Appalachian Mountain Health. Each member of their Mobile Medical Unit is not only compassionate but also personally invested in addressing the individual needs and goals of our residents at Compass Point Village. Most importantly, the team understands the barriers our unhoused community members face when accessing and trusting healthcare providers.
“A lot of folks with an extensive trauma history have had different experiences with different kinds of treatment that have worsened their trauma,” says behavioral specialist Judi Schultz. “The thought of talking to a behavioral health clinician can be off-putting. That’s why I use an integrated model of therapy. It softens the process when it’s naturally integrated with their primary care.”
When residents come seeking help for physical needs, family nurse practitioner Summer Hettinger often introduces them to Judi whenever mental health becomes a topic. In most cases, it takes multiple introductions and interactions before residents feel ready to discuss these deeper needs.
“The longer we’ve been here, the more rapport we’ve been able to build,” Summer says. “At first, we had a lot of primary care appointments, but it’s slowly increased to addressing more needs as Judi builds relationships with each client and makes them feel comfortable. Now, residents are coming in, chatting about their trauma, asking for Hepatitis C treatment, and saying things like ‘Hey, my blood pressure is high’—all things they may not have cared about in the beginning. But now, we can care about that.”
(left to right) Colby, Carrol, Summer, Doris, and Judi
Appalachian Mountain Health visits Compass Point Village every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., providing essential medical and behavioral care from their fully equipped van and in our two dedicated provider rooms.
The rest of the AMH team plays a crucial role in building this trust with our residents. Medical assistants Carrol Rinaldi-Lemieux and Colby Reed, along with community resource advocate Doris Bennet, are often the first points of contact for residents, conducting check-ins, EKGs, blood pressure checks, and helping with Medicaid applications. While Summer can see up to 15 people a day for primary care, the team has dozens of short yet significant interactions.
“A lot of people stop by just to talk, ask questions about what we do,” says Colby. “Plus, all the relief donations we’ve been able to provide have helped people stick around longer and have more conversations before their appointments. Being able to pick through items they need while they’re waiting helps take their minds off some of the challenges they’re going through without feeling judged. They feel like they’re being helped by someone who cares about what they’re going through versus someone who’s just here for a 9-5 job.”
Our partnership with AMH began one week before Compass Point Village opened and became home to 85 of our community’s most vulnerable population. When Summer met with our Housing Director, Jenny Moffatt, we immediately knew their goals and approach to serving our unhoused community aligned perfectly with our Housing First model.
“It’s really cool at a year’s mark seeing someone come directly off the street and into a housed neighborhood.” Summer reflects. “This place and these Case Managers here, working together with Judi and our team–that’s our model. Listen to the person, see what their goals are, and help them reach those goals. That’s what I like the most about coming here.”
Judi, too, finds joy in collaborating with our case managers to find creative solutions for each resident’s needs, checking in with them at the start and end of each day, and always considering ways to improve, expand services, and reach more people.
“That’s what’s so special about this place and model. Housing these folks and integrating accessible services consistently improves outcomes. We are building a community, building trust, and we are a constant presence. I love it because this model—combining these resources—is really rare. Taking a chance on a high-acuity population that is typically difficult to reach takes adjustment, but over the past year, we’ve seen not only community support coming in but also strong relationships forming among the residents at Compass Point Village. They’re connecting in a way that’s meaningful and helpful to their overall well-being.”
One powerful example of this community spirit appeared the Tuesday after Hurricane Helene. Without power or water at their main offices, 15 other AMH providers volunteered to join the mobile team to set up a free walk-up clinic in front of Compass Point Village for everyone needing medical care. When they arrived, they were overjoyed to see residents checking in on one another, clearing fallen debris, and helping each other—just as neighbors do everywhere.
We’re grateful to Appalachian Mountain Health’s Mobile Medical Unit for stepping up in such a big way for our community. Their dedication ensures that all our community members receive the medical care they deserve, exactly when they need it.
Over 15 healthcare providers with AMH visited Compass Point Village the first Tuesday after Hurricane Helene to provide much needed medical care.
Joe Hart is the Communications Specialist for Homeward Bound of WNC. He loves telling our client's stories and encourages everyone in the community to get to know the people living near them who are experiencing homelessness. Reuniting individuals with their community is the first step to helping end homelessness everywhere.
Our measure of success generally is determined by measuring the percentage of clients in our permanent supportive housing programs who remain housed 12 months after placement. Given the many variables that impact chronically homeless clients, and consistent with other studies, we count as “housed” those who have graduated from supportive housing to other housing, those who move to health care facilities, those who have moved out of the area, and can no longer be tracked; those incarcerated, and those who have died. For example, at The Woodfin, of the 37 clients who have been housed over five years, 92% remain housed. Seventeen clients live at The Woodfin now; five have “graduated” to other housing; two have moved to nursing facilities; seven have died, and two have been imprisoned. Only four clients have been evicted.
