Hazel's Story

On a Tuesday in late December, Hazel and her boyfriend arrived for the first time in the PADS Shelter. During the intake process, the Case Manager working with her noticed indications of domestic violence. Although Hazel was initially hesitant to talk to the Case Manager about her injuries, she eventually revealed an extensive history of domestic violence. She also told the Case Manager that she was ready to leave her boyfriend, but feared for her life.

The Case Manager immediately began developing a safety and housing plan for Hazel. Hazel came to the Support Center the following day to work with the Supportive Services staff there. One of the first steps was for our Supportive Housing Director and Support Center Manager to contact the Domestic Violence hotline. After doing so, they were put in touch with Family Rescue, an organization dedicated to eliminating domestic violence in the Chicago community by providing comprehensive support services and shelter to victims of domestic violence.

After a telephone interview with Hazel, Family Rescue determined that she was medically unstable due to a chronic health issue. The intake worker at Family Rescue offered to contact a local agency that provides respite care for individuals who are medically fragile to see if they had a bed available. The agency agreed to accept Hazel and hold a bed while we secured the necessary documents for admission to the program. Over the next three days we worked with Hazel to obtain all of the required documentation. During this time, we housed Hazel in a hotel to separate her from her boyfriend. On Saturday evening, she was admitted to the respite program.

We followed up with Hazel the next day and she reported being very happy. She remains a viable candidate for our permanent housing programs after her health is stabilized, and we are committed to finding a stable, sustainable housing solution for her when this occurs.