Success Stories: Strength, Progress & Possibility

Rasheed

“Rasheed embodies SAIL’s philosophy of moving together forward,” observes Tawanna Saxton, SAIL’s director of Community Residences. “He works very hard with our staff to build his skills and learn, letting us know what his triggers are and when things are getting difficult so that we can modify our approaches to meet his needs.”

“When I first got to SAIL, it was different – living with other people and without familiarity,” says Rasheed. “It was a different place for me, but it was a good place to go. The staff help me get through a lot of things by talking with me and helping me with my medications and my daily life skills, including budgeting and financial management.”

“Music is something I love,” says Rasheed. “Whenever I’m feeling down, music brings me up. It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Currently, Rasheed is focusing on healthy eating, learning to cook nutritious meals like his favorite dish, chicken and rice – a family recipe he ate growing up. Staff have also helped him break down his goal into smaller milestones, such as eating healthy twice a week.

“I look forward to waking up every day and focusing on what I have to do to be on my path in life. This includes making sure that I take care of my responsibilities and can stay free from all the struggles and pains I had growing up.

“Rasheed’s journey and recovery are unique to him,” says

Tawanna. “He’s allowed us to meet and guide him from where he is as an individual, so that he can work toward what independence looks like for him.” “I’m still young and have a long life to live,” reflects Rasheed. “SAIL has propelled me to move forward and helped me to see myself living on my own and being my own person. Having a life where I look forward to every day, including what I love – my music.”

“When I look at Rasheed, I’m most proud of how far how far he’s come since he arrived in 2022.. He struggled initially with his ADL – activities of daily living – including personal hygiene and socializing with others. Today, those struggles are actually his strengths.” One way that Rasheed engages with his peers in the Community Residence is through music. He enjoys playing the guitar, and others will often come hear him play. Music is also an expression of how Rasheed sees the world and a primary way that he copes with challenges.

“It’s so important that we see clients – and clients see themselves – beyond their diagnosis, as a whole person with hobbies and gifts,” adds Tawanna. “Rasheed is a beautiful example of this – he has really come into his own and expressed who he is through his music.”

“Rasheed embodies SAIL’s philosophy of moving together forward,” observes Tawanna Saxton, SAIL’s director of Community Residences. “He works very hard with our staff to build his skills and learn, letting us know what his triggers are and when things are getting difficult so that we can modify our approaches to meet his needs.”

“When I first got to SAIL, it was different – living with other people and without familiarity,” says Rasheed. “It was a different place for me, but it was a good place to go. The staff help me get through a lot of things by talking with me and helping me with my medications and my daily life skills, including budgeting and financial management.”

“When I look at Rasheed, I’m most proud of how far how far he’s come since he arrived in 2022.. He struggled initially with his ADL – activities of daily living – including personal hygiene and socializing with others. Today, those struggles are actually his strengths.” One way that Rasheed engages with his peers in the Community Residence is through music. He enjoys playing the guitar, and others will often come hear him play. Music is also an expression of how Rasheed sees the world and a primary way that he copes with challenges.

“It’s so important that we see clients – and clients see themselves – beyond their diagnosis, as a whole person with hobbies and gifts,” adds Tawanna. “Rasheed is a beautiful example of this – he has really come into his own and expressed who he is through his music.”

Rasheed joined SAIL’s Community Residence program at age 18 after aging out of another residential program. Seeking a setting to build his psychiatric rehabilitation and daily living skills so that he can one day live as independently as possible, Rasheed entered SAIL’s program designed for individuals ages 18 to 30.

I’m very grateful that I have this place to go. My roommates are lovely, and the staff give not just 100%, but 300%. They provide the strong support system I needed.

Rosemarie has also demonstrated a growing responsibility for managing her medication regimen, now “holding” twoweeks’ worth of prescribed medicines on her own, instead of just one, where she s tarted. She also progressed to buying groceries with a smaller budget of food stamps, having learned to make better purchasing choices. Both measures, says Stan, are true signs of her progress. Portraying her growing independence, Rosemarie hassystems in place, such as scheduling a taxi an hour before she needs it, and going for any medical testing she’ll need to renew her prescriptions well ahead of time so she doesn’t run out of her supply. Her progress is also apparent in the ways in which she moves about the community –going for walks and enjoying the local park and beach. Looking ahead, Rosemarie envisions a life free of hospitalstays, “figuring out” problems on her own, and managing her life as indepe ndently as she can. With SAIL in her corner, she is moving forward, together, on that path.

From transitioning out of a financially secure marital life where her primary role was raising her daughter, SAIL client Rosemarie faced initial challenges adjusting to her new environment at SAIL. However, she has progressively found her footing, embracing the community and resources around her.

Stanley Bien-Aime, SAIL program supervisor, applauds the significant strides that Rosemarie has made in managing social situations and engaging with others. “Rosemarie is someone who puts her all into conversations and relationships with others, and sometimes struggled when her energy wasn’t reciprocated,” says Stan. “We helped her to have and respect barriers with peers and SAIL staff, so that her interactions are more positive. This has been a real success for her.”

“She’s also made tremendous strides in taking care of herself and managing her resources more independently,”he adds. “This growth came out of her mindset shift away from expecting others to ‘take care’ of her to recognizing that she is responsible for her own health and well-being. We’re just here to give her the support she needs to do this.”

This support has empowered Rosemarie to gain the skills and confidence to schedule her own medical appointments, to grocery shop on her own, and to better manage her financial allowance from SAIL. Each of these was a challenge for her when she joined the program.

Rosemarie arrived at SAIL’s Apartment Treatment Program (ATP) in Port Washington, NY, with high hopes of gaining independence and managing her mental health more effectively. Since becoming a resident in late 2023, Rosemarie has been actively participating in SAIL services that support symptom management, community integration, and daily living activities.

Rosemarie