Stephany works with the HUD/VASH team, serving homeless veterans as we get them into housing and work to ensure their connection to mental health, medical health, and other wrap-around services.
In particular, I am a social worker who works closely with her on the Intense Case Management Team within HUD/VASH, the team that veterans start with to become stabilized as they get settled in their new homes and adjust to no longer being homeless. Some never leave our team due to their extreme situations, but many transition right on through to standard case management.
Stephany is instrumental in helping veterans to become stable and connecting them to the medical and mental health side of care. Stephany works tirelessly to set up appointments, make sure medications are current, collaborates with doctors and other VA staff, navigates the VA system, problem solves difficult situations and countless other things.
One recent small example of her service of advocacy for a veteran during this Covid-19 pandemic is the following: I had a veteran who was sent home from work due to some of his coworkers testing positive for Covid-19. Stephany was able to help explain to the veteran how to come to the VA to get tested. He was able to get tested that same day within an hour.
After the few days of waiting for the test results, the veteran needed results on a letter to present to his employer to allow him back to work. The clinic who did the testing at the VA mailed the veteran his letter, but that meant he would have to wait a few more days for it to arrive in the mail to be able to return to work. He was told he could not come to the VA to pick up the letter in person.
The veteran is a single dad raising 4 small children and just getting newly settled into his home. He is struggling to do the right thing, make ends meet, and provide a safe and happy home for his family. To miss more work would have further decreased his monthly income and put him at risk of not being able to pay his rent and possibly recidivating into homelessness.
Stephany assisted with getting a printout of the letter that proved he was negative for Covid-19 so that the social worker could drop it off directly to him so he could return to work the very next day and decrease the number of days off. The veteran was extremely appreciative when this happened.
Stephany is truly veteran-centric and fully considers the veteran as a whole in his or her situation in the community, offering empathy and support. She does not just do the bare minimum but goes above and beyond and treats each of the veterans with respect and care. I am proud to be a teammate on the team with Stephany, and I know whenever she is around, the veterans will receive awesome treatment and follow up. This is just one small example of many.