Washtenaw FUSE (Washtenaw Frequent Users System Engagement) is one of four pilot programs selected by the Corporation for Supportive Housing to lead in a nationwide effort integrating housing, care management and health services to improve health outcomes for high risk adults caught in a revolving door of crisis services. The goal of this initiative is to address one of the most pressing policy problems currently facing states and the nation as a whole: rising public health care costs associated with fragmented and uncoordinated care.

John was referred to the FUSE program from a local homeless shelter. John grew up in foster care after being taken from his home due to a physically abusive mother; then spent much of his adult life with no home at all. He was incarcerated for fifteen years and spent a considerable amount of that time in isolation due to severe behavioral issues. Upon his release, John had no resources and nowhere to go. A community homeless outreach program began working with him to find housing in the area, however prison had taken its toll on his mental health. John developed trauma-induced psychoses and defense mechanisms during incarceration that would not allow for him to stay at any one place for an extended period of time.

Disability Support: Ruth and Syd Bernard—client profile

When you first walk into the Oaks ~ Adult Day Services, you notice something different from other programs for adults with memory impairments and cognitive difficulties. You see people socializing. Talking. Practicing yoga and Tai Chi. Cooking. Listening to music and playing board games; laughing. Living.

Emergency Food Program—Profile of a typical client:

• 90% of households report incomes at or below $15,000 a year with the median household income at $4,200.
•Individuals/families receiving assistance from the Emergency Food Program are the “most vulnerable”: seniors, persons with a disability living on fixed incomes, single parent households, the unemployed and the underemployed.
•Over 40% are female-headed households and one-third has at least one member with a physical or mental disability.
•42% represent children between the ages of 0 and 5 years of age.

Homelessness Prevention: Julia—client profile

Things couldn’t get much worse. Julia tried rehab, but kept relapsing; her husband and kids left long ago. Because of her chronic alcohol addiction she couldn’t hold onto a job. At 55, suffering from major depression, Julia was homeless…

Pregnancy assistance: Danielle—client profile

Danielle is a 20-year-old single mother and full-time nursing student. She has plenty of good friends, works as a nurse’s aide, is on the college Deans List, and has a wonderfully healthy and happy three-year-old daughter, Leesa. Four years ago, however, her life couldn’t have been more different. A former honor student and standout volleyball player, Danielle started fighting with her family, drinking, skipping school, and getting booted from the team for letting her grades drop. Often, she didn’t even bother coming home at all.

Then she found out she was pregnant.