Part Nine: Planning for Success throughout Phases of Housing Stability My pal (and Founding Partner of OrgCode), Dr. John Whitesell, has reinforced in me over the past dozen years the usefulness of the Sigmoid Curve to represent change, growth and development within people and organizations. He has also ingrained in me the ability to chunk the S-Curve into three main phases: Formative; Normative; and, Integrative. While appreciating that everyone experiences housing support services somewhat differently, John and I meticulously went about trying to typologize various client characteristics in program phases relative to the S-Curve. Upon review of a whack of case files, interviews with staff in some highly successful housing programs, interviews with dozens of clients, mining of various data sets and reflecting on my own experience in creating and leading a rather successful housing program, we arrived at the following broad-stroke phases as experienced by the client, and as supported by the case manager: Stage Client Characteristics What the Case Manager Should Do & Expect Formative Period of adjustment in being housed and becoming oriented to the new environment and supports Characterized by new learning and adaptation Goals and priorities more likely to shift More likely to be pre-contemplative or contemplative in many areas of individualized service plan Changes to social network are common May feel a sense or urgency or panic to be “normal” or “do the right things”, yet more likely to miss appointments Often emotionally unpredictable Expect unpredictability & do not be frustrated Focus on small [...]
