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With some help, people experiencing homelessness and addiction are able to overcome the difficult challenges they face. This has been shown time and time again throughout our county thanks to the efforts of the departments of Housing Services and Health and Human Services and our partner non-profit providers. Many people with these lived experiences, like Amanda Briggs, take their life journeys and use that to help others overcome their own journeys to thrive in our community.
Currently a lead case manager with non-profit Family Promise of Greater Washington County, Amanda works tirelessly to help people living unsheltered get the resources they need to move forward. Starting off as an intern, she worked her way up while focusing on eviction prevention, housing stabilization and attaining shelter for her clients. An average workday may consist of in-person home or virtual visits with clients, goal settings, basic crisis intervention with bills, and lots of trainings.
Amanda always put the well-being of her clients first. Even when going up the ladder at Family Promise, she made sure her focus was on those she was serving. When transitioning from a rapid rehousing case manager to become a housing services case manager, she took the experiences of her past clients into her new role. She was also able to keep the same program participants and ensure stability with her as their point of contact. Today, she is now a lead case manager, serving her original caseload while also assisting four other case managers with their caseloads and day to day operations.
As someone who has experienced both homelessness and addiction, she knows firsthand how important consistency is for people to rebuild their lives. When asked why she decided to intern at Family Promise in the first place, she had shared that it was because she had lived experience in homelessness as a child with her family in shelters, and again as an adult mother with her own children.
“I wanted to help people. My main thing is I want to help people the way I was helped,” she said. “I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for that guidance, case management and support that I had. And I want to do that for others.” When asked if she thought her lived experience made her work more effective, she thought it did at times, “I have clients that are very accepting of the help. That know my story and background and can relate. Then I have clients, that aren’t really accepting.”
Amanda is also in recovery; she has battled addiction for almost 15 years. For many people we serve, addition and mental health needs are made worse by the experience of homelessness. “That to me is a big deal,” said Amanada. “A lot of people have a lot of fears around that. People experiencing addiction... they're afraid to ask for help. But there is help out there.”
Family Promise of Greater Washington County is one of dozens of organizations helping people experiencing homelessness, with a focus on catering to families at two different shelter sites in Beaverton and Hillsboro. Few shelters in Washington County works specifically with families, and Family Promise is one of them. Their shelter motto is: Transforming the lives of families suffering from homelessness because every child deserves a roof over their head.
Organizations like Family Promise of Greater Washington County are making a positive impact on our community, “Personally, I see the impact I have on my clients every day. Even like the simple messages I get everyday from them,” she shared. “But being in the county meetings and seeing the actual percentages and positive changes, it really pays off.” She continued though saying how stressful it can be at times.
While progress is being made with new shelters coming online, help is always needed as we address this crisis. Amanda stated that more mental health and treatment services would help, especially more housing services for people with mental health issues, continuing that, “I have quite a few clients that have quite a bit of mental health issues, and it can be very challenging.”
Part of the challenges people who experience homelessness and addiction must navigate and overcome on their road to long-term stable housing and recovery are the numerous barriers associated with those life experiences. For instance, some of Amanda’s clients that she is trying to rehouse have evictions and criminal records, while a few have drug addictions that require treatment. Amanda’s work helps remove those barriers, and Washington County planned transitional housing investments will help our homeless services system of care better remove barriers.
In the meantime, these difficult situations require resolute people like Amanda, who are compassionate and highly qualified in their field. With a professional journey boasting 15 years in the caregiving sector, complemented by 6 years as a Certified Nursing Assistant, people like that are tough to come by. We are thankful for Amanda and her service to our community, and all the other case managers supporting people in each corner of our community.