Aaron’s experience with the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic

Aaron had been dealing with housing insecurity for some time, temporarily living with a family member while trying to find his own apartment, when he received a referral to Bay Cove. “I’d been working with a housing coordinator, and they pointed out to me that I would probably benefit from some counseling.”

Aaron agreed, saying, “I knew I had anger issues stemming from trauma in my early years. And I knew that if I didn’t work on myself, and my issues, it wouldn’t matter if I got a new apartment. I would lose it quickly enough.”

In July, Aaron came to the CCBHC, which was a daunting prospect at first. “I was scared to death to come in, initially—one of my biggest problems has always been that I don’t like asking for help,” he says.

“Once I stepped through those doors, I started to feel good about myself. Every time I come in and talk to the counselors here, I feel like I’m getting something done. And the kind of help I’m getting here, I honestly wish I could’ve gotten 20 years ago.”

— Aaron

Today, Aaron is making progress—he says he feels calmer, and has set the goal of reconnecting with family members from whom he’s been estranged. He has the dream, once he secures his own apartment, of hosting relatives at his own Thanksgiving celebration. And the CCBHC’s ability to connect him with the full range of services offered across Bay Cove has allowed him to receive housing search assistance, even as he’s undergone the counseling he feels has benefited him.

“They’re about getting results here, which I like,” he says. “I’ve been through a lot over the years, but coming here has made me feel complete. I hope it’s someplace I can keep coming to for a long time.”