RE Success Story – May 2016

The outreach worker first encountered RE on the sidewalks of Canal and Royal Street. This client is known by all of the rangers, store clerks and police as he is frequently reported to the NOPD and detail officers. This client has been homeless for several years, and due to his alcohol problem, he has previously refused to leave the French Quarter and would sleep on the streets at night. Several months ago, the outreach worker and the ranger had walked this client to Travelers Aid Society, where he had spoken with a crisis worker about a detox and substance abuse rehabilitation program. RE stated he was drinking about a fifth of liquor a day and stated he had been doing so for several years. RE had finally agreed to go to a rehab and the NOPD Homeless Outreach team was called. As soon as they had taken him to the hospital he abruptly left and walked back down to Canal Street. Each time RE passed by the outreach worker, he expressed his interest in a rehab but could not fully commit to it.

Two months passed until RE finally decided he was serious about a rehab program. The outreach worker sat down with RE to fill out and submit an application to the detox unit at the Odyssey House. After two weeks of processing the application the outreach worker received a call from Odyssey House admissions, stating that his bed was ready and available for 10 a.m. the following day. The outreach worker searched for RE to tell him the good news; however, he was nowhere to be found. The Odyssey House admissions worker had stated that someone in the NOPD had also been following his case. They were contacted, to find out that RE had been put in jail the following day due to public intoxication. The NOPD then hand-delivered RE to the Odyssey House detox program where RE continues to get substance abuse treatment.