Because the term case manager is so ill-descriptive in that people
are not cases and they don’t need to be managed, but assisted,
the Coalition for the Homeless Mentally Ill will follow the lead
of the National Mental Health Association by substituting in its
place , care management, a partial solution. Our goal is to find
a better word for management”.
Words of a Consumer….
“Many of us have a negative reaction to the term case management;
it isn't really descriptive…. At the core of this important
work is care coordination, so that is what many in the consumer empowerment
movement prefer to call the function. Care Coordinator has the connotation
more of partnering with the consumer, rather than that of "managing
a case ". I'm not a case needing a so called “manager.”
Care coordination is one of the most important needs, if not the
most important need, of homeless men and women with a chronic,
severe mental illness. In its most comprehensive form, a care manager
provides the needed services or links the person being helped with
all essential services.
In practice, care coordination, if offered at all by mental health
agencies, outreach offices, social services workers at jails, prisons,
hospitals, the courts, is often very limited and without followup
to insure the needed services needed were obtained.
Community Friendship Inc. says "many people in the community
spend a lot of time trying to organize, often without success,
all of the different parts of their lives. Balancing all of these
responsibilities can be overwhelming without help." Care managers,
or coordinators, can see that, to the extent possible, all the
needs of the individual are met whether they be few or many.
The agencies listed below provide some form of care coordination.
Because of the overwhelming demand, these agencies may not be able
to respond to all the requests for help they receive. However,
consider calling the places listed below and request care coordination
even if it is limited to just certain services and even if there
is a long waiting list.
To make a referral to any of the following agencies, call each
one to ask how they want you to make the referral. Most will provide
the form for this purpose.
Care Management Agencies
Fulton and Dekalb County Outpatient Clinics offer care coordination
(case management) to homeless residents. See “Treatment” of
this web site
Community Friendship, Inc.
85 Renaissance Parkway Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: 404/875-0381
Hours: 8:30am-5:00pm
Mon-Fri
Services: Provides various levels and types of housing and care coordination
for individuals with a mental illness. Offers a social club, psychiatric
rehabilitation, and a work opportunities program on Renaissance Parkway (across
from Crawford Long Hospital in Midtown) To apply:all or visit their administrative
office near Crawford Long Hospital. Ask for an intake worker.
National Mental Health Association of Georgia
100 Edgewood Ave. Ste. 502 Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404/ 527-7175
Hours: 9am-5pm Mon-Fri
Services: Provides assistance in securing SSI benefits, mental
health evaluations and on-going appointments, linkage with housing
including supported housing, personal care homeless and independent
apartments, and education of consumers, family members, landlords
and the general community regarding the unique needs of individuals
struggling with mental illness and homelessness. How to apply:
By telephone.
Grady Hospital's Community Outreach Support Services (COS)
located in Hirsch Hall at 55 Coca Cola Place Atlanta, GA 30365
Phone: 404/616-9999
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri.
Services: Provides
clinical and social services, individual therapy, medication
management, counseling, and geriatric services to individuals
with mental illness as well as homeless people with mental illness.
Specifically, people who have failed more than once, after hospitalization,
or repeat visits to psychiatric emergency room, to keep Florida
Hall follow-up appointments, repeatedly dropped out of treatment
at Florida Hall or Day Treatment (ARC), or are unable to maintain
him or herself in the community without repeated hospitalizations
or incarcerations, or are current or repeatedly homeless. How
to apply: Call and a referral form will be faxed or mailed. Referrals
may also be made by Grady’s Psychiatric Dept. (13th floor),
state mental hospitals, and any inpatient psychiatric facility.
Takes about a week to process a referral.
Mercy Mobile Health Care of
St. Joseph's Hospital (for Mercy Mobile patients only) 424 Decatur St. Atlanta
30312
Phone: 404/880-3550
Hours: 9am-5pm Mon-Fri.
Stan Sullivan (Case Manager)
Services: provides psychiatric referral and clinical services to people with
mental illness, HIV positive, and chronic substance abusers as well as care
coordination and social service referrals. How to apply: initial assessment
at clinic site by care coordinators.
Crossroads Community Ministries
420 Courtland St. Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: 404/873-7651
Carol Lewis (Director
of Disability Services).
Helps individuals with physically and mentally disabilities
apply for SSI and SSDI benefits, general assistance, and a degree of care coordination.
Also provides referrals for food, clothes, and permanent or transitional housing.
There’s an orientation at 10am Mon-Fri. A person is accepted after an
evaluation of his or her disability.
Access
61 Eleventh St. Atlanta, Ga. 30309
Phone: 404/523-2026.
Provides
intense care coordination to individuals who have been repeatedly
admitted to Georgia Regional Hospital. Access will fax a referral
form to anyone who wishes to refer someone. The client will have
to be evaluated for eligibility and a decision whether to provide
care coordination will be made in about two days from the date
the referral is received.
Café 458
458 Edgewood Ave. Atlanta, Ga. 30312
Phone 404-523-1239
Assists
homeless people with a mental illness in setting life goals.
Accepts phone referrals. New clients are seen by appointment
only every Monday. Any agency may call during regular hours in
behalf of their clients to make appointments.
Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO)
www.thegao.org
The Georgia Advocacy Office provides individual and group advocacy.
It is a private non-profit corporation with the mission to work
with and for oppressed and vulnerable individuals in Georgia who
are labeled as disabled or mentally ill to secure their protection
and advocacy. GAO's work is mandated by Congress, and GAO has been
designated by Georgia as the agency to implement Protection and
Advocacy within the state. Its main priority is standing beside
people in stopping abuse and neglect.