Case Studies

The following is a short list of case studies that we will use throughout the course...you will be assigned specific cases by reference to the Case Study Number.

Case Study #1

M is a 32 year old man who was referred to our service by the Assertive Outreach Team. He was living with his girlfriend but the relationship was breaking down and he was at risk of homelessness. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had problems with substance misuse. He has diabetes, which was not under control, has HIV and Hepatitis B.

M's substance misuse and health problems are the factors that put him most at risk. He was also having to leave his girlfriend's home, with no alternative place to stay and was too vulnerable to sustain a tenancy of his own.

M does not understand how to budget and the choices he has made about how to spend his money often left him without the basics.

Case Study #2

CD is a 27 year old woman with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. She was referred through the Community Forensic Mental Health Team to our support service. Her offences were a series of assaults, mostly attacks on her mother but some involving members of the public. All of these offences were considered to be as a direct result of CD's mental health problems. She had delusional beliefs, and periods of great excitability, anger and frustration, and also periods of deep depression.

She was referred to our service while living in an group home, where she did not wish to stay. Prior to that she had been in hospital for 14months. While her mental health was not stable and a risk of suicide was identified, CD agreed with her care team that the risk was not necessarily increased by her living in the community and in fact she anticipated that living alone would aid her recovery. CD had had her own tenancy before, but it had not been successful.

CD has on-going support needs. Her mental health does not always remain stable and her ability to cope alone is at risk when she is not well. The risk of suicide remains and CD has plans to seek greater support when she is able to recognise this. She still has a need for hospital admissions from time to time, but her WRAPs have helped her to significantly reduce the need and the length of stay when the need arises.

CD's plans are to move on to live completely independently in the future but expects to need a low level of regular support for the time being, and a responsive, increased level of support from time to time when needed.

Case Study #3

AB is a 35 year old man with mental health needs and a history of alcohol misuse. He has also been financially exploited resulting in debt and receiving threats to do with paying the money back. His home is in a poor state and his tenancy was at risk. AB was referred to us by the Community Mental Health Team, and their assessments included reports of AB walking around the local area through the night, sometimes shouting, resulting in threats from people in the local community.

AB's drinking appears to be at a peak, and reached a head when he was admitted to hospital with alcohol related injuries. AB found that this was the catalyst he needed to begin to address his drinking.

Ultimately he wants to work towards getting back into employment, starting with some voluntary work.

Case Study #4

AC is a 27-year-old woman with severe mental illness (Bipolar Disorder) living in Augusta, ME. She has spent much of the last 8 years in and out of mental health units and hospitals. In-between hospitalizations she has been living at home with her parents. She is about to be discharged from the hospital and her parents have communicated that while they still want to remain involved in her life, they do not wish for her to move back home with them.

AC has indicated that she would like to live in her own apartment but has very few independent living skills on how to manage her life outside of her parent's home.

She recieves a Social Security check, SSI, Medicaid, but has not applied for Food Stamps or Subsidized Housing of any kind.