When I was a homeless person living on the streets of Baltimore city,the feelings of worthlessness and despair were overwhelming. I was living in a world of anger, fear and overpowering depression. After spending decades of my life as a functional member of society, my psychiatric and physical disabilities began to become more evident. I would isolate and neglect my responsibilities and the basic needs as a member of society.

I had always done well at work and managed several businesses and even owned a couple of businesses. My ability to handle stress was so low I could barely handle working as a janitor. I began drinking and missing work. I gained a lot of weight and became a recluse. I felt so horrible physical and mentally that suicide was always on my mind. I had 5 or 6 attempts with 3 that almost succeeded.

I finally connected with Health Care for the Homeless and began receiving Somatic and mental health care. I enrolled in a substance abuse program, started taking medication and began working with a Therapist/case worker and a Psychiiatrist.I felt better for a while but the feelings of being worthless and having no purpose in life started to build up in my head. I was lost and couldn’t find anything to fill the void in my life.

One day I was sitting in a group and Adam Schneider came into the room and gave a brief talk on an Advocacy group that meets every Tuesday @ 11:30 in a room that HCH lets us use. It piqued my curiosity so I went to the meeting and started learning about advocacy and what we could do to initiate social change and awareness. The idea that people in poverty and/or homeless could initiate policy changes and break the stereotypical views that a lot of housed people have fascinates me.

That very day I ended up in Annapolis speaking at the Capitol and actually spoke to a group of Delegates or Senators (I can’t remember which) on the issue of TDAP. TDAP is a sum of 185 $ that disabled people get per month to live on. The Governor had mandated a cut in the budget that severely reduced the amount of money that went towards TDAP. After the group produced 500 or so surveys that showed how the money was being spent and showed that because of the poor economic situation the number of people needing assistance would increase the governor actually increased the budget for the program. This is when I really became aware that we all have a voice in policy change. More voices means more power. Through the speakers bureau we speak at schools ranging from elementary to post-graduate university classes and a variety of other groups

This is just one example of how advocacy can have a positive clinical effect on people. Knowing that my passion for the work we do and the fact that it does make a difference in other people’s lives. While I still have depressive episodes, they are shorter in duration, less severe, and not as frequent as before. with the comprehensive care I receive through HCH, Psychiatric Developement Group,and the advocacy group (B-more Housing for All) my quality of live has increased. It is a great support system; it provides positive social connections and can change people’s lives as they realize that their voices can initiate change.


I can relate to about 90% of the experiences and ideas in Mark's post, and while I may not be able to step up become as outspoken in public as he is, I can still spread the word here and ask you to do the same.

[ And it should give you a link to his blog and the comments section also links, in case you want to voice an opinion to him.......(or on the comments after this post).....]

Later.....................................Dave


P.S. Welcome Follower #36, Judy, Thanks for reading.