Alex* (name changed to protect confidentiality), a man in his late 50s, with mental health disabilities, a substance use disorder, arthritis, and orthopedic injuries, was referred to FAIR by the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, after spending over 20 years in incarceration. When he met his FAIR case manager, he was living in a First 72+ transitional home and he shared that his goals were to get his own apartment and learn how to manage his bills.
When Alex joined the FAIR program, he had a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application pending. His case manager helped him create his resume and he secured a part-time janitorial position, earning about $720 per month so that he could begin saving for an apartment and afford basic expenses.
His case manager helped him apply for a reduced-fare bus pass for people with disabilities so it was more affordable to get to and from work. A few weeks later, his SSI claim was denied and his case manager helped him connect to pro-bono legal representation for the appeal.
Shortly afterward, he was promoted to a full-time position at work and started earning $1,800 per month. Given that he was earning over twice the maximum SSI benefit rate, he was glad to withdraw his SSI appeal.
Moving forward, his case manager is helping him look for a permanent residence. They have established a savings plan to save for rent and moving costs. Saving is easier now that our partners at the Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana (JAC) have helped him remove $3,622 in municipal fines and fees.
