Some of you might be familiar with Teo’s story, which was featured in The Guardian. We reached out to Teo to hear about his life after exiting the Better Health and Housing Program (BHHP). This is his story.
Care coordination during the program
BHHP is a residential-based integrated health and homelessness service for people like Teo who are experiencing chronic homelessness and poor health. The program, which is a partnership between Launch Housing, St Vincents Hospital Melbourne, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Victorian Government, provides people with a safe place to stay for a period of six months, while care coordinators support people to access health, mental health, employment justice and other supports.
When Teo entered the BHHP, he had a long history of homelessness including a period spent sleeping in his car. He also suffered trauma and multiple injuries from a 2019 motor vehicle accident and had developed a number of health issues including serious clots in his lungs.
Once he was at the BHHP with his own room, a sense of security and stability, and access to individualised health support, Teo started to recover.
“They really saved my life”.
He developed a great routine that included many outdoor activities. The peer support was vital. Going for walks, going to the park, to the movies, having a group of people to talk to — small things like these really made a difference for Teo.
“You start to live again”, he says.
The world is your oyster
Teo is now living in a unit, where he lives comfortably and enjoys making meals for himself and watching the footy. The support Teo received through BHHP set strong foundations for living independently and maintaining his home.
Having secure housing means that Teo can be optimistic about the future. After moving into his new unit, he’s trying to have more fun than ever before.
“The world, you can say, is your oyster once again”, as Teo puts it.
Teo has also reconnected with family. He’s been invited to spend time with them over the Christmas period. It’s been three years since he was last in touch with family, so Teo is very much looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect.
What Teo wants people to know about homelessness
Homelessness is distressing. The constant vigilance needed to survive on the streets is difficult to put into words.
“You don’t know where to go, you don’t know who to trust, you can’t look anyone in the eyes”, says Teo.
Teo wants people to know that becoming homeless can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t take much for someone to become homeless.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover”, Teo also advises. “Some of the greatest people I’ve met or known in my lifetime — they’ve been homeless”.
