Peer run and peer driven – with a goal of permanent housing and self-sufficiency for all. Sustainable Wellness Solutions (SWS), formerly known as Consumers Self-Help Center, embodies their mission statement: to provide support for Peers who face behavioral health challenges by sharing the success, skills and guidance of others that lead to productive and sustainable life choices.
This celebration for clients that had done just that – navigated their way through the complicated web of homelessness, and often hopelessness, to find housing and sustainability through the supports and resources that SWS provided to them – it is evident that ending homeless is possible, if done at the right time, in the right way, with the right support.
Sustainable Wellness Solutions is funded through Sacramento County’s Flexible Supportive Rehousing Program (FSRP). Originally contracted in 2018 for case management of some of the hardest to serve clients, SWS also took on housing supports in 2023 and has since seen the program flourish, despite the regional housing and rental market challenges.
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The Howe Park Community Center is filled with families that have successfully completed FSRP. They are permanently housed, on a direct lease, paying their portion of rent with the remaining rent being subsidized by a Housing Choice Voucher. A DJ booth in the corner blares the “Cupid Shuffle” over the speakers as a handful of women and children show off their dance moves in the front of the room. On the adjoining patio, meat sizzles on a flat top BBQ in preparation of the taco lunch, while nearby, a face painter creates a variety of masterpieces on the line of eager children, and a few adults.
The atmosphere is festive, celebratory – thick with a shared victory of folks who have been through so much and come out on the other side, together. The front of the room has a stage filled with gift baskets, wrapped in clear cellophane, adorned with big red bows. Inside are small, thoughtful gifts like travel mugs, journals and packets of markers and drawing pads. Each basket has a note with an encouraging word like “Wishing you continued success” or “We’re so proud of you!”.
As a simple spectator of the event, it is easy to get caught up in the fun and festive nature in the air. The urge to get up and dance is strong. Almost as strong as the urge eat whatever that amazing smelling food is cooking up outside. They also handed out a ticket for an Italian ice cone after the tacos were gone. This truly was a party.
But I am not just a spectator. I know how hard so many people had to work behind the scenes for years, for this celebration to happen. I am not talking about booking a taco caterer and an Italian Ice truck. I am talking about the deep and painful work of case workers to pull their clients out of homelessness. I am talking about the hours and hours of meetings and hard conversations and tears County staff put in figuring out how to save funding and programs and providers to keep the work going when things got really hard. How to save these households from slipping back into homelessness through no fault of their own.
So many households have children. Children that would’ve otherwise been in shelters or out on the streets – missing school and growing up too quickly, facing the harsh realities of the street. Many more are elderly, medically vulnerable. Using canes and walkers to get around the room, it is a wonder how they ever navigated living outside safely. Some of these folks have been working towards housing for more than six years. Six years of living in their cars, or worse – in tents, as they tried to get their documents together, proof of income, hold a steady job, address behavioral health issues and more. Folks that put in the work while SWS staff propped them up with relentless support.
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The formal part of the program begins. Tiffany Murphy, Sustainable Wellness Solutions Executive Director, gets up to address the room. She thanks each and every person for being part of their own success. She thanks the SWS staff for their hard work. She turns and thanks Sacramento County for their funding and support in allowing SWS to run the program with the autonomy that brought them the success they are seeing today. County staff are understandably emotional. They’ve known these clients personally. They’ve been following their cases for years, eager to see them get to this very moment – housed and self-sustained. This is why they do the work – its why everyone in homeless services does the work.
Each SWS case manager gets up and calls the name of their clients to congratulate them and hand them a gift basket. Loud cheers, hugs and even tears dominate the next hour as name after name is called – each representing a household that was homeless, but is now housed. You can hear the pride in each case manager’s voice – it is akin to the pride of a parent when their child does something amazing. And they have, done something amazing, together.
Throughout the event I spoke with many of the staff and heard the same thing, over and over. The care and collaboration of this group is unmatched. The dedication of the staff, the ongoing commitment of the County – both financially and in spirit and the determination of the clients has created this amazing celebration of success. And it isn’t over. The work will continue. The success will continue. We will celebrate every success. And then get back to work.
To read more about how Sacramento County is addressing homelessness,
visit our website.
