Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
PPS. Advice to stay in small towns has some severe flaws. The services available in really small rural towns simply is not good enough. When I was young, fresh out of college, I had to find those resources to fall back on. I know what it is like. Being in a small town the bigotry is much more intense. In a crappy small town, even a college degree in a relevant field and being at the top of your class doesn't mean ****.
Yep you definitely know the deal about small towns which some people here may not get. Small hillbilly towns are another world. The bigotry and cronyism.
Thanks for the tip about Austin. Would he be competing with many college grads there?
I've been homeless in both cities when I was younger.
In both places there are temp employment agencies that pay the same day - I think Labor Ready is one of them. He should be able to get there by 5am which is when construction people start coming by to hire for the day. This is better than waiting on the corner competing with Mexicans, who are preferred because they work harder than Anglos, and who are more aggressive about asking for work.
San Diego, all I remember is going to church missions. If they have room, they will take him in to sleep in bunk beds in return for listening to them preach their brains out for a coupla hours. They will provide one meal, often bean soup and stale bread, and may offer job counseling. I've heard there is now some sort of city homeless shelter/services that has more resources.
In Seattle there is a wide variety of uncoordinated services. It used to be that DESC provided mats on the floor, a good dinner, job listings, and social services such as mental health.
He needs to go to the nearest mission for shelter and food. They will supply him with blankets, etc.
Next, if he has PTSD or something that may qualify him as mentally ill, he should apply immediately for Social Security disability. If he has worked recently,he may be able to get state disability while his Soc Sec claim is pending.
If he doesn't have enough work credits for SSDI (which would pay more money per month), he can still get SSI (for low income people who didn't earn enough recent work credits):
How Do I Apply For SSI?
Schedule an appointment with a local Social Security office to file an application. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday or contact your local Social Security office, or;
Find out if you are eligible to receive Social Security Disability Benefits.
For healthcare, he should call the county health department. That's where he would apply for county healthcare and/or Medi-Care, etc.
Here in Redding, there is a mission where they will let people stay for 30 days. They will help them look for a job, and help them with skills, etc. At the end of the 30 days, if the person has made a sincere effort to find a job, they will let them stay longer. They will let you stay while working, even, for awhile, so you can save up money for security deposits, etc.
There is a lot of help out there.
Oh, and a felony can just be a theft that involved something worth $500 or more. His friend could have owed him money, so he took the friend's stereo, and the friend files charges. A felon is not necessarily a murderer. Granted having any type of crime on your background report can make things more difficult, but if he gets help through a mission, they will know how to help him find work in spite of this.
To get the SSI, he would normally have to have applied once, then been denied, before an attorney would help him. They help with the appeal, and the law says they can only take a certain amount of pay out of the back pay he would receive. It's very fair.
Last edited by NoMoreSnowForMe; 06-03-2014 at 07:51 PM..
Reason: Weird spacing issues :-)
Haven't read all the replies, but the link that someone gave to your post about your son having a brain injury caught my attention right away. If your son has a TBI (traumatic brain injury) or other type of brain injury, he is fighting a very difficult battle and it sounds as though he is doing it pretty much on his own. I have a brain injury myself, and I can't even begin to explain how very difficult it has been and how fortunate I feel that 5 years post injury, I finally got some help. It is a great shame that you can't come to be with your son for a while just so you can get him the help he so needs and deserves.
I live in Colorado and here there is an excellent network of hospitals, assisted care agencies and services especially for those with TBI. But even though your son is not in Colorado, there is a federally mandated group of centers that exist on the local level all over the country to help those with brain injuries. They're called Independence Centers. My town has a population of only 10,000, but it has an Independence Center. The Center will help your son get a medical evaluation done at no cost to him if he has no money. If his injury is severe enough, they will help him apply for disability through Social Security (SSI). SSI provides a small stipend for those who are completely disabled and your son will also become eligible for treatment and medications at little to no cost through Medicare and Medicaid. He will also be eligible for SNAP (food stamps). Some (but not all) Independence Centers may be able to provide your son with a housing voucher or at least get him on the wait list for one. If a group home is a more appropriate environment for him, the staff of the Independence Center will help with his placement there, as well. If your son is not completely disabled, Colorado voc-rehab (and probably other states, too) will also evaluate your son free of charge and give him the training he needs to be a productive member of society, in spite of his difficulties.
I would advise that your son stay away from large urban areas (too many predators) and also avoid towns that are too small because a small town just won't have enough resources. If your son is somewhere out West, I suggest either Denver or Grand Junction, Colorado. While Denver is a fairly big city, it has an outstanding center for the treatment of neurological disorders at University Hospital which is affiliated with the prestigous University of Colorado Medical School. Grand Junction is a small friendly city with great medical care and many available services for the disabled.
I would be happy to give you more detailed information, including links, telephone numbers, etc if you'd like to DM me. The very best of luck to you and your son both.
He needs to go to the nearest mission for shelter and food. They will supply him with blankets, etc.
Next, if he has PTSD or something that may qualify him as mentally ill, he should apply immediately for Social Security disability. If he has worked recently,he may be able to get state disability while his Soc Sec claim is pending.
If he doesn't have enough work credits for SSDI (which would pay more money per month), he can still get SSI (for low income people who didn't earn enough recent work credits):
How Do I Apply For SSI?
Schedule an appointment with a local Social Security office to file an application. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday or contact your local Social Security office, or;
Find out if you are eligible to receive Social Security Disability Benefits.
For healthcare, he should call the county health department. That's where he would apply for county healthcare and/or Medi-Care, etc.
Here in Redding, there is a mission where they will let people stay for 30 days. They will help them look for a job, and help them with skills, etc. At the end of the 30 days, if the person has made a sincere effort to find a job, they will let them stay longer. They will let you stay while working, even, for awhile, so you can save up money for security deposits, etc.
There is a lot of help out there.
Oh, and a felony can just be a theft that involved something worth $500 or more. His friend could have owed him money, so he took the friend's stereo, and the friend files charges. A felon is not necessarily a murderer. Granted having any type of crime on your background report can make things more difficult, but if he gets help through a mission, they will know how to help him find work in spite of this.
To get the SSI, he would normally have to have applied once, then been denied, before an attorney would help him. They help with the appeal, and the law says they can only take a certain amount of pay out of the back pay he would receive. It's very fair.
SS Disability ?
Don't you need 10 years of work ( 40 quarters paid in SS ) to be eligible ?
(OP said he was in...early 20's
Regarding being a felon..........you actually have to do a serious crime because nearly all courts will allow you to plead down from a more minor felony to a gross misdemeanor.
( unless he has accumulated a rap sheet a mile long )
He needs to go to the nearest mission for shelter and food. They will supply him with blankets, etc.
Next, if he has PTSD or something that may qualify him as mentally ill, he should apply immediately for Social Security disability. If he has worked recently,he may be able to get state disability while his Soc Sec claim is pending.
If he doesn't have enough work credits for SSDI (which would pay more money per month), he can still get SSI (for low income people who didn't earn enough recent work credits):
.
Haven't read all the replies, but the link that someone gave to your post about your son having a brain injury caught my attention right away. If your son has a TBI (traumatic brain injury) or other type of brain injury, he is fighting a very difficult battle and it sounds as though he is doing it pretty much on his own. I have a brain injury myself, and I can't even begin to explain how very difficult it has been and how fortunate I feel that 5 years post injury, I finally got some help. It is a great shame that you can't come to be with your son for a while just so you can get him the help he so needs and deserves.
Thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with a TBI too. I definitely feel for you.
Yes he has a TBI from a MVA. He has talked before about going to Denver. I think he is afraid of freezing to death.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
