Meet AJ
AJ is Compass, Inc.’s first person to transition from Community Living to the Supported Living Program where he is leasing his own apartment in Rockville, MD. Following a lengthy journey filled with anticipation for the necessary approvals and paperwork, AJ has had some time to settle into his new apartment, get accustomed to the area, and adjust to the changes in his support staff, he has experienced many of the pros and cons that come with independent living.
AJ has found much enjoyment in arranging, shopping, and decorating his apartment. His apartment has a nice kitchen with a four-top stove and a dishwasher, which is great for AJ, as he loves to eat and works well for his newest support staff Martin, who loves to cook. Martin and AJ have bonded over food, games, and music, as well as going to the pool in AJ’s complex and exploring the local community. Although Martin and AJ are new to working with each other, AJ was able to maintain many of the relationships he had developed in his former group home and in that community. AJ visits his friends at his old place, still goes to the same barbershop he loved in his old neighborhood, and still receives support from his former house manager, aptly called “Mama Queen” by AJ, who now supports him as his Community Support Manager.
AJ enjoys being closer to his family, having more space to himself and more control over the space, having easy access to recreation, and being able to host people better. At the same time, there are more responsibilities that come with independent living- arranging and planning for the move took a lot of work, having to care for more space means he ends up doing more chores, he had to learn a new neighborhood, and most surprising to AJ, was having to deal with noisy upstairs neighbors. However, when asked if it was worth the work and new responsibilities, he said, “Absolutely. Definitely.”
The Housing Support Services serves to create similar opportunities for those whohave goals like AJ. The HSS program assists in submitting applications to help peoplemeet their housing goals through state and county vouchers, as well as other affordable housing opportunities. The program also provides financial literacy training to people who have never lived independently, and tenancy preparation for people preparing to move. Finally, this program works with people supported to create housing plans–the first step in the long journey to achieving or sustaining independent housing. As interest in this program continues to grow, Compass is excited to support more people in achieving their ever-growing housing goals.
