Cara is a 23-year old single mother living with both her son and mother. She had been diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and depression. For a long time, they lived in a less than ideal home that was not conducive to Cara’s mental health. Eventually, they were evicted from their home, forcing her son to move in with his dad and Cara to couch surf. As a result, Cara was disconnected from her doctors and started to use the ER to treat her sickle cell anemia.
In 2016, Cara was connected to Oma, a Health Home Care Manager, who helped her get back on her feet. Not only did Oma work to connect Cara to permanent providers at Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, but also helped her to obtain benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to supplement her income. Cara became well enough to enroll and graduate from the Franklin Career Institute, which enabled her to land a full-time job at TJ Maxx and a part-time position at Starbucks. Cara now has stable housing and a consistent income. She continues to receive her behavioral health services at Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center and is actively engaged with all of her providers.