The Journey N ev er und er es t im a t e

y o ur a bi l i ty t o m a ke a

d i f f e r en c e!

PATH Program New Horizons Behavioral Health

2100 Comer Avenue Columbus, GA 31906

Phone: (706) 596-5500 www.nhbh.org

Follow us on social media for

more news, updates and events!

Inside This Issue:

PATH Summit 1, 2

Community Collaborations

2

PATH to Success 3

PATH News 3

Outreach Schedule 4

What is PATH? 4

June 2015 Summer Edition

On June 16-17, the New Horizons PATH Team attended the statewide PATH Summit

at the Doubletree Hotel in Columbus. The team met with PATH teams which operate

across the state and learned more effective techniques for engaging with homeless

individuals with mental illness. The New Horizons PATH Team led groups to conduct

outreach in areas all around Columbus to demonstrate their newfound skills. PATH

Team members also won awards for their performance throughout the year, includ-

ing the Rookie of the Year, Spirit Award, Bright Idea Award, and Team Member of

the Year, In addition, the New Horizons PATH Team was chosen as PATH Team of

the Year for their success in housing many individuals in the past year. We know we

will continue the spirit of working hard to end homelessness in our area!

New Horizons PATH is Team of the Year at State Summit

The New Horizons PATH Team with State PATH Coordinator Jill Mays and Director of the Office of

Adult Mental Health Dr. Terri Timberlake of Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Develop-

mental Disabilities celebrating being team of the year!

The New Horizons PATH Team and Residential Support Services Director Frederick Smith

The Journey Page 2

Community Collaborations: Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church

Felicia Myers proudly shows off her Spirit Award in recognition of her

overwhelming positive attitude in helping homeless individuals

The Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church is a legacy in the local

faith community. Currently led by Pastor Johnny H. Flakes III, Fourth

Street Missionary Baptist Church is a historic house of worship and a

center of public life for many worshippers and provides much-

needed service to the needy in Columbus.

Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church hosts several outreach and

ministry programs, including youth groups, Bible study groups, pray-

er ministries and other activities to engage the community in their

mission: “To obey the will of God through preaching, teaching, wit-

nessing, stewardship and fellowship.”

The New Horizons PATH Team conducts outreach at Fourth Street on

the third Monday of each month, when church leaders and volun-

teers help distribute food, clothes and toiletries to needy families

and individuals. We are amazed by the care, attention and love

these volunteers demonstrate, and we hope to continue to assist

churchgoers in our community mission to fight homelessness.

Statewide PATH Summit

For more information about

Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church,

please visit www.4thst.org

Coming back from the evening outreach—the New Horizons PATH

Team had a blast helping host the event!

Page 3 Spring Edition

PATH News: PATH to Outreach to Veterans at Monthly Triage

Did You Know? Homeless Veterans

The New Horizons PATH Team is proud to announce that

we will be joining the New Horizons Project Veterans First

in conducting a monthly triage to assess the needs of our

homeless veterans in the greater Columbus area. The tri-

age will provide opportunities for veterans struggling with

homelessness to meet providers in healthcare, housing, em-

ployment, SSI/SSDI/VA benefits, and education services.

Vendors and service providers will include Goodwill Indus-

tries, Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia State De-

partment of Veterans Services, Central Alabama Veterans

Health Care System, Georgia Department of Behavioral

Health and Developmental Disabilities, and more!

Between 529,000 and 840,000 veterans experi-

ence homelessness in a given year.

Veterans are twice as likely as civilians to become

chronically homeless.

Approximately one-third of all homeless males are

veterans.

The number of homeless Vietnam-era veterans, male and female, is greater than the number of soldiers

who died during the war.

45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness

including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and

suicide rates for all veterans are increasing.

About 70% of homeless veterans suffer from sub-

stance abuse problems.

Unemployment among male Iraq and Afghanistan veterans rose from 5% in March 2007 to 15% in

March 2010.

Statistics from Veterans, Inc., the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

For more information, please visit

Department of Veterans Affairs: www.va.gov/homeless

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: www.nchv.org

Last Wednesday of each month, 8:30-10:30 AM

Conference Room B, Health Department Building

2100 Comer Avenue, Columbus, GA 31906

What is PATH?

C o m e s e e u s a t o n e o f o u r o u t r e a c h l o c a t i o n s !

PATH Outreach Schedule

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

St. Anne Outreach

9:30-11:00

Valley Rescue with

Columbus Regional

Mobile Unit

8:30-10:00

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

In the Community

2nd Avenue and

Talbotton Road

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

Open Door

Showering Program

8:00-10:00

Homeless Resource Network

10:00-11:30

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

In the Community

Columbus

Riverwalk

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

4th Street Missionary

Baptist Church

11:00-1:00

Safehouse with

Columbus Regional

Mobile Unit

8:30-10:00

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

In the Community

Downtown

Broadway

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

Open Door

Showering Program

8:00-10:00

Homeless Resource Network

10:00-11:30

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

In the Community

Veterans Parkway

Bridge

Direct Services to PATH

Individuals

(House Hunting, SSI/

SSDI, etc.)

The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)

program provides services to people with serious mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use disorders, who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming home-

less.

There are nearly 600 local organizations that provide PATH ser-vices. Local PATH programs offer services including outreach, ha-bilitation programs, community mental health, alcohol and drug

treatment, and case management services.

The New Horizons Behavioral Health PATH Program of Columbus, Georgia desires to see every individual in our city under a roof in a warm bed at night. The New Horizons PATH Program seeks to

collaborate with area landlords and employers to bridge the gap between housing and the homeless and between employment and

the unemployed.

It is our hope through our quarterly newsletter that we share with the community stories of hope, challenges and triumph. We want to share the stories of those who are in the trenches with us to help

fight against homelessness and poverty.

For more information, please call to speak to a

member of the New Horizons PATH Team at

(706) 596-5500.