Finding Purpose in the Process: A patient success story
Horizon Health and Wellness cares for patients who come to us from all walks of life. Like many of our locations, Casa Grande clinics treat patients living with co-occurring serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorder.
A patient of ours, now forty-nine years old, walked into our Casa Grande clinic to receive medical and mental health services in 2015. He was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, anxiety disorder, nightmare disorder, opioid use disorder, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and nicotine dependence. He was chronically homeless, and his family was misusing his social security benefits. Horizon stepped in and began housing him in permanent supportive housing in 2017.
The patient went on to join the Recovery Village substance use treatment program and completed it successfully in 2019. Amongst the many skills he acquired in his journey to sobriety, he has learned to manage his finances independently and has also taken on part-time employment for the last three years
In February, the patient came home to find his roommate deceased of an opioid overdose. Though traumatizing, this patient was able to put the coping skills he learned while attending Horizon’s recovery programs to use and was able to cope with this traumatic event in his life. By utilizing the skills he acquired, this patient was able to successfully work through the experience while maintaining his employment and housing.
This patient continues to grow in independence, has a roommate he enjoys being with, has adopted an emotional support animal, and continues to attend his scheduled appointments with his primary care physician, psychiatry, and his behavioral health clinical team. He also participates in peer support services, outpatient groups, job skills training, medication education, and skill building through Horizon Health and Wellness. He attends community AA meetings and continues in his success with his sobriety. His goals are to continue to maintain stability in housing, employment, and finances.
Thank you to the Casa Grande team for meeting this man where he was, helping him set wellness targets, and teaching him how to grow, learn, and thrive!
