Mike* has a history of homelessness and ongoing mental health issues.
He has been homeless on and off for many years and has moved between boarding houses, motels and staying with family members.
During the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Mike’s long-term partner died of an accidental drug overdose.
His alcohol consumption increased and after a short stay with family, there was a domestic dispute that resulted in Mike leaving the home.
At this point, all family contact and support ended and Mike moved to another house.
The lack of family support and stable accommodation meant that Mike’s mental health declined, and he started drinking more.
Although unstable accommodation was at the core of his issues, Mike had few options.
He lived in temporary and crisis accommodation for many months, making it difficult to seek support for his alcohol and mental health challenges.
Mike’s first suicide attempt came shortly after his arrival at a rooming house.
He spoke about the mental strain that his insecure housing was causing and his inability to cope in a shared living environment.
Our team linked Mike with mental health support and managed to get him into a crisis house where he could live independently.
At this point we realised his suitability for the From Homelessness to a Home program.
He moved to his new apartment in June 2021.
Mike often expresses how thankful he is for this opportunity.
Having stable accommodation has given him the confidence to join local mental health support groups, access alcohol and other drug services and he is looking to start a music group with friends.
He is now working towards rebuilding his relationship with his family.
*This is a true story about a real person. Some details such as names have been changed to respect the wishes of the person featured. The photo accompanying this story is for illustrative purposes only. It is not a photo of the person featured in this story.
