It’s a hot and sunny day in mid-June. This summer has brought many days just like it for Maine. Two people stand talking in front of a parked white van. There is a camera rolling, and one person stands answering questions and pointing at the van parked behind them. This is Malia Haddock, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, … Read more
“What I want you to know about Preble Street is that they have a lot of resources to help you and they want to help you.” Youth currently being served by Preble Street Teen Services Providing 24-hour services, seven days a week, Preble Street Teen Services operates separate day and night shelters for homeless and runaway … Read more
“You can be the best doctor in the world… have a photographic memory and memorize every type of medication. But, if your patients aren’t getting their basic needs met outside of the clinical environment, if they don’t have housing or shelter, if they don’t have access to food, it’s really, really hard to treat them … Read more
Although we don’t have a vaccine for mental health or substance use disorders, we do have practical and effective solutions. They are the effective and evidence-based practices we know work — access to treatment, harm reduction services, mental health support, peer support groups, and perhaps most importantly, educating our community to reduce stigma and promote … Read more
March is National Social Work month, and we are sharing some of the experiences of Andrew Bove (he/him), VP of Social Work at Preble Street. Below Andrew reckons with the challenges posed by the opioid epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing crisis, and how these things have stressed an already disjointed and dysfunctional health system. … Read more
“For me, eventually, is a key word. It’s my first apartment in 14 years,” shares Kabir. Kabir is the newest resident of Logan Place, Maine’s first Site-based Housing First building, which opened 19 years ago this month. Logan Place has 30 efficiency apartments, with 24-hour on-site support for adults who have experienced chronic homelessness. Kabir … Read more
It is surprising to learn that early social workers helped secure many of the civil liberties and personal freedoms that we enjoy today. Indeed, professional social work has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of the modern the United States, with many early social workers becoming advocates for social justice and change. Social … Read more
According to the Maine Housing Authority, on a given night in Maine, roughly ~4,250 people are experiencing homelessness. Of those people, 55% are part of households with at least one child. While not always as visible, clearly homelessness and housing instability is a problem experienced by youth, teens, and children. It should not be a … Read more
We have said before that the reasons why people experience homelessness are complex, but the solutions are not. Ensuring that people can access stable and safe housing and maintain that housing is the solution to homelessness. Preble Street created its Rapid Re-Housing program (RRH) in 2020 to move more people from homelessness to permanent housing. … Read more
TONIGHT, February 7, the South Portland City Council will vote whether to allow hotels in their town to continue serving as emergency shelters until April 30. If denied, many of the individuals and families staying at these hotels will be evicted this month and will need to sleep outside or in their vehicles. This extension … Read more
