At a Low Point, Steve A. Finds the Courage to Change His Life

  •  admin
  •  September 7, 2017
  •  News

This past April, Steve A. enrolled in Federation’s Care Coordination program. He was upfront about having a drinking problem, and it was clear that the 54-year-old was struggling with issues including personal hygiene. He had been a Navy SEAL, but was discharged without benefits. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, he suffered from depression and had difficulty managing his anger.

When Rosette Noyan, Care Coordinator, first met with him, she listened carefully and learned about his life. One thing was for sure: The most important person in Steve’s life was his 10-year-old daughter. Every week day, Steve would take his daughter to school and pick her up at the end of the day to help out his ex-wife.

Shortly after coming to Federation, a schoolteacher reported that Steve had alcohol on his breath. His life changed drastically and he was no longer allowed to see his daughter. Rosette stepped in with a firm message.

“I advised him to think about the impact his drinking was having on his daughter,” Rosette recalled. “The next day, he went to Catholic Charities, got intake, started taking his medication, shaved, dressed, and even got a patch for nicotine.”

Rosette asked him about the abrupt change. “He told me that he needs his daughter,” Rosette said. “I had to give him a reality check, and from then on he began to change his life.”

Steve now gets to talk to his daughter by video once a day and has visitation every two weeks.

For getting him back on track, Steve calls Rosette “an angel.” Rosette, who meets with Steve every two weeks, views it as just doing her job.

“I told him there may be setbacks, so it’s best to take it one day at a time,” Rosette said, adding that she also asks him to write down his daily routine so that he can account for his idle time. She has also found an anger management class for him, and is encouraging Steve to volunteer and find purpose in his community.

Encouraged by Rosette, he sees a therapist once a week and goes to a psychiatrist once a month. The Brooklyn native is taking life one day at a time, step by step, always keeping his daughter in mind.

Leave a Reply

  • You must be logged in to post a comment.