Still Searching

I realized it's been a while since I've posted here; there's been a lot going on lately. I am still searching for resources in my area, and still coming up short.
I sent a letter to the head of the Communicable Diseases Division of the City Health Department over two weeks ago.
I have  not received any response. Nice, huh?
I found the contact information for the State Department of Health Services which does have a contact person for Hep B and C,  today's task is to send her an email.
As far as any other of my ambitious plans (because some days even getting out of bed is ambitious) I haven't gotten there, yet.
Lately I've been focused on finding a smaller more affordable apartment, because I can't possibly sustain myself and my son here now that my income is drastically reduced. The good news is I found the perfect place, only 3 blocks from here, and much more affordable. It will be so nice to have even a little money after the rent and bills are paid. The thought of packing and moving is daunting, but it's one day at a time and supposedly the agency that helped me pay my security deposit can help pay movers. The frustrating thing is, it's a week away and I still don't have confirmation of that fact. This is a true test in faith and stress management,, because I HATE not knowing what's going on. It is also, in my opinion, proof that there is a huge service gap in this community. The funds are there, from the recovery and reinvestment act, but for some reason they're not being distributed as they should. Most people don't even know that the re-housing program exists, much less how to access it. It's only because of my experience as a Social Worker/Advocate that I knew where to even begin looking. When I finally found the one agency that manages that program I was initially told that no such thing existed! It wasn't until I sent an email to the Director of Homelessness Prevention Programming, that I finally got a response. I'm sorry but one should not need a Master's Degree in Community Advocacy to figure out how to access services. And that is part of my mission, not only to urge lawmakers to make more funds available, but to ensure that they are accessible, and distributed fairly.
Today is one of those sick feeling days, and I think I'm getting a cold in addition to the usual generalized malaise (Ha ha I love that term) . I feel like I have very little fight in me, but one phone call to The Department of Health and one blog post which will hopefully reach someone who is experiencing similar frustrations with service delivery, or even someone who has adequate resources but knows the struggle of fighting this disease, and motivate people to unite in demanding services tailored for our needs.
Wishing everyone well!
Jenny

© 2010 Jennifer Hazard