Supporting growth and learning
Aside from the team of clinicians at CAMH, Charlyn also works with a Developmental Service Worker (DSW) who helps to get her ready for her life outside of CAMH.
“Developmental Services Ontario determines who gets on the waitlist. When housing comes up, that house will do an interview and decide whether the person is a good fit. Prior to February, she was being declined from even being placed on the waitlist,” says Jessica Dehaan, Charlyn’s DSW. “Some of the things we were looking at were how nervous she was going outside, her ability to go out on her own, to follow directions… and to build rapport with people.”
The process of getting her ready to live in the community was a long and gradual one but it has progressed tremendously. “Jess has been able to get her to do things we never thought possible. She’s even set her up with an email account,” Christine says.
Making the grade
Charlyn’s symptoms include selective mutism, which can make the adjustment to a group home difficult, according to Jess. “She wasn’t always communicating her wants and her needs, and in a group home it’s very important for her to do that. Working with her and building rapport, I was able to get her to talk to me and tell me when she wanted or needed something.”
“We had a couple of false starts,” admits Christine. “There was a bed for her at a facility that was suitable, but she wasn’t going to fit in with the rest of the clients because she wasn’t prepared enough.”
The rollercoaster of emotions that accompanied these experiences were difficult, but also beneficial to Charlyn’s development. “They gave us a checklist of things to do and helped us to better prepare,” says her sister. “We also have to respect the people she’s moving in with. The homes have a responsibility to make sure that the people they bring in are a right fit, and we were very respectful of that.”
“We’re treating it as though she’s graduating,” says Christine. “We’ve taken her to the apartment she’ll be living in,” and like any young adult moving out for the first time, “you get new clothes, towels, sheets… you hang pictures in the residence.”
“We’re so proud of her. She’s still young enough to enjoy life beyond the hospital.”
And while there’s still a lot she has to learn, she’s on the right track thanks to her dedicated family and the experts who have been by Charlyn at every step of her journey.