Bigger, Stronger, Better
Thoughts from members of our Team as leaders in the affordable housing industry.
Critical Time Intervention
Written by:
Mack Nock
Critical Time Intervention Coordinator
Supporting Residents Through Addiction Recovery
Picture this: You’re newly experiencing homelessness. It’s winter and the temperatures are forecasted to be in the negatives for the next few nights. You found a blanket, but other than that it’s the clothes on your back to keep you warm tonight. You meet someone who offers you some food, another blanket, and a substance you’ve never seen before that they guarantee will keep you warm for the night.
The next day you remember the euphoric feeling and how the substance did help you stay warm. So you look for more. After a few days of this, you’re hooked. Now you see that addiction is hard, and choosing recovery or sobriety every day is difficult. Most individuals don’t recognize the addiction until it’s consumed some portion of their life. The neurological process of addiction literally changes the wiring and chemistry of the human brain.
Unfortunately, the majority of Archway residents who struggle with Substance Use Disorder were introduced to addiction through situations and scenarios largely out of their control, often involving some form of trauma. These traumatic events can include: child abuse, homelessness, sexual violence, physical or emotional abuse, and more. The sad truth is the majority of the time people struggling with addiction and Substance Use Disorder have become societal outcasts, often seen as broken beyond repair.
We at Archway Communities are committed to caring about these underserved individuals. We care to offer support, and the opportunity of a new beginning. In my time at Archway Communities, I’ve met some of the most tenacious, caring, and resilient people living in our communities. Archway is on mission to partner with our residents, whatever the need. We work to build lasting and supportive relationships, while increasing access to outside resources and support that will help our residents successfully deal with their life challenges. Ultimately, we want our residents to be defined by their unique personalities, and not by addiction or mental health challenges. This past year, at Cornerstone, we’ve begun new conversations with our residents about recovery. We’re offering open dialogue with staff through roles like the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Coordinator, who’s goal is to provide time-limited, evidence-based practices that mobilize support for society’s most vulnerable individuals during periods of transition. We also offer recovery programming, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, to practice grounding and coping skills, and we’ve provided amazing opportunities for our residents to connect with partners like Peer-2-Peer Recovery. We are rebuilding relationships to help our residents recover and thrive.
As the saying goes, “one day at a time.” That’s our goal at Archway: to show up one day at a time, one interaction at a time, and engage our residents in a way that meets their needs at that time. We are committed to showing our residents what incredible things they are capable of, and reminding them every day that we are here to care. Together we can make today and tomorrow and the next day better, one moment at a time.
