Hey everyone .. I found out a few days ago that if everything goes according to plan, that I'll be approved for my GA (welfare) on 10/1, yay. As soon as I'm approved, I can get into some type of local income housing for the time being, until a certain community based program helps me with housing. Anyway, there are 2 local income places I'm interested in, they both have their pros and cons (see below). Also, my food stamps FINALLYY went from $15 to $189 a month, and I received retro payments, so I just received $522 in food stamps today! WHOA! And then on each 4th of the month I'll get another $189 payment .. thank god! AND my Medicaid was finally approved! So I signed up for a PHP/IOP at Princeton House .. my intake evaluation is on 10/1 and I start 10/2 .. I REALLY hope the Dr. puts me in their DBT program because honestly that's the only reason why I want to go there since it's the only place around (or in the state) that's listed on Dr. Linehan's official website that takes Medicaid .. there is another place around that offers DBT, but it's not "official" plus I heard it sucked. If the Dr. doesn't put me in the DBT program, I'm probably not even going to go, especially of the Dr. wants to put me in an addiction only group .. like dude, my mental health issues are WAY more important right now; I'm on methadone and barely smoke pot and like never drink. Blah, so I'll probably just end up going back to my Catholic Charities PHP (that I LOVED but stopped going to because of my hygiene) if this Dr. refuses to put me in a program that I'm interested .. but I just thought of something .. do you think it's a good idea that I start DBT now? Or should I wait until I have some stability in my life? My life is nowhere near stable right now, and I can't really control much of that .. but I'm hoping my life starts changing for the better soon; like I said I shouldn't be homeless within the next couple weeks. Also, this DBT program is during the day, 5 then 3 days a week .. if I go back to school in January, I won't be able to do it then. But also, maybe I can always just do it now, then if I need to come back again when my life is going good and has stability.

So, it seems like everything is coming together! Soon I'll have a place to live, be in a program for my mental health and substance abuse issues, hopefully go back to school in January, then start seeing my son! Please god, keep bringing the good things my way!!

PROS/CONS OF THE LOW INCOMING HOUSING
PRO - Only cost $46-$70 a month to live (depending how much I'll receive from GA (welfare).
PRO - Both DH and ES have beds available right away.
PRO - ES lets you live there, rent free, for the first 3 months.
CON - DH does not let you live rent free for the first few months.
CON - both are in "unsafe" neighborhoods after dark, and with daylight savings coming to an end, it's going to be dark earlier at night.

PRO - Dunham Hall (DH) is women only. Women are friendlier and are more willing to be "helpful" in my opinion.
CON - Escher St. SRO (ES) is co-ed. It's mostly men who don't know how to take the word 'no' for an answer. Example: I go to the soup kitchen alot, and most of the people who live at ES also go there. I'll sit and chat, but they insist on me giving them my # or at least me taking their's down, they wanna hang out and "chill" .. no. No, no, no. I'm not interested in ANY guy right now, especially if they're black and/or living in low income housing. Call me hypocritical, whatever; I'm not going to discuss this right now.

PRO - DH only has private rooms; 1 female per room. Each room has their own shower and mini-fridge! Kitchens are shared.
CON - ES, even though they're name states that they're SRO's, some people have to room with 1, 2, up to 3 other people. I don't have much, but I'm not beat for having to share a room that I'm paying for. Also, I don't own much at all, but I'm also not beat for people stealing my stuff. Also, no mini-fridges unless you want to bring your own, and you have to pay a fee each month for it. Shared CO-ED! bathrooms and kitchens.
PRO - ES is right next door to the soup kitchen, which serves lunch M-F and dinner M-Th.

PRO - DH is across the street from the library, down the street from the school I want to go to, and close to most of the main downtown bus stops (State and Broad [one is E-W, one is N only), State and Montgomery, Broad and Perry).
PRO - Both DH and ES are walking distance to almost everywhere (except Princeton House) I need to go.
CON - DH is not as close to the other main down stops (Warren and State (one is E-W, one is S only), Front and Broad)
CON - ES is not close to any bus stop; 4 blocks away to the closest one.
CON - ES isn't close to anything.

That's really all I can think of right now. So, in total ... PRO: 3 for both, 2 for ES, 3 for DH. CON: 1 for both, 4 for ES, 2 for DH. Seems about even I guess .. what do you think? Meh, I'm thinking DH. I also hope I can get some type of move in assistance from Catholic Charities, that way I can use my first month's GA to buy stuff I need, like tolietries and winter shoes/boots. Alright, talk to y'all later.