PPCSinc Blogs

I am the substance abuse specialist at Peter & Paul Community Services Positive Directions. I have been at the agency since February of this year. It has been a great experience for me to work so closely with a small group of staff and clients.

In the past few years I have worked as a casemanager with larger populations. This has been a positive change as well as a challenge to be creative and track improvement for myself as well as the guys I am working with. The greater challenge has been to look more realistically at the kind of changes that take place for the clients I am working with.

In the past as a casemanager, it was more about providing resources, supports and linking people to needed services. It was a little more obvious to evaluate the success/outcome of the services provided. If someone needed housing, mental health treatment, clothing or food, we had resources available and could quickly determine if we were able to meet the need. Those outcomes were measurable, but now, the measurement of change as I work with people day to day is more incremental…no less valuable, but not as easy to identify.

This has been a wonderful challenge for me at an amazing agency and working in such a unique program. I am always praying for a new challenge and it’s great to know GOD is listening. I suppose I will pray for greater understanding and patience. I am grateful to be a part of and witness the wonderful changes I already see in our clients in this exceptional program. I hope anyone who is interested in what we do will plan an opportunity to learn more about Positive Directions and Peter & Paul Community Services.