New Horizon Family Health Services: Dwayne’s Story

Respite

Out of work during recovery from a heart attack, Dwayne feared he would have nowhere to live.

Dwayne was working paycheck to paycheck in March 2022 when he suffered a heart attack, which demanded that he have surgery. His recovery period following the surgery was twelve weeks, leaving him without a stable source of income to pay for his rent as he focused on restoring his health. This would have potential to leave him experiencing homelessness and without a safe place to recover after his surgery. He became anxious about not having anywhere to go, afraid that he could end up having to live underneath a bridge which is far from an ideal location to recover. 

Dwayne expressed his fears to one of his nurses who later collaborated with some of her colleagues and put him in touch with Susan King, a New Horizon Family Health Services’ Medical Respite Care Program Care Advocate.

The program, a partnership between New Horizon Family Health Services and Miracle Hill Ministries, is South Carolina’s only in-shelter Medical Respite Care Program and provides people experiencing homelessness who are too sick to stay in a regular shelter but not sick enough to be in a hospital with a safe place to rest, recover and receive medical support after hospital discharge. While emergency shelters are set up to help people experiencing homelessness, they are not medically supported, so patients often don’t get the follow-up care they need to prevent re-hospitalization. 

New Horizon Family Health Services helped Dwayne manage his prescriptions and taught him how to monitor his medicine. Additionally, they connected him with United Housing Connections who helped pay for five weeks of his rent until he was able to return to work again. 

Across the United States almost 50% of Americans cannot afford an unexpected $400 bill. Fair access to safe and affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness benefits everyone. Read our statement on Race, Equity, and Inclusion. 

To learn more about New Horizon Family Health Services, Inc, visit newhorizonfhs.org.