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The Sobel home, which The Pitt Home for funding among agencies
will provide
like Kadima that serve the
will be dedicated next
housing for
mentally ill has intensified
month, is slated for adults
people with
while dollars have de-
between the ages of 18 and
mental illness.
creased.
35.
The homes, therefore,
Hamburger donated a
house last month in the name of could not have come at a better
her son, Bill Howard. It will pro- time, said Kadima Executive Di-
vide a permanent residence for rector Janette Shallal.
"We used to get people from the
him and for other young men who
state hospitals or other local hos-
require mental health services.
With the gifts, Kadima now op- pitals who came to us for six
erates four group homes and 12 months to a year, and our goal
apartments and condominiums was to rehabilitate those folks —
where "graduates" of the group teaching them to cook, budget,
homes live while they're in tran- clean, personal hygiene, job hunt-
sition to a more independent set- ing — and they graduated into
ting. All Kadima clients see a much more independent, com-
social worker once a week, and a munity-type settings.
"In the last few years, because
"focus worker" monitors medica-
tion intake and other safety issues they're emptying hospitals, we're
getting much more chronic clients,
in the residences.
Kadima also has a contract the kind of clients who are so
with the Jewish Vocational Ser- chronic, our home is no longer
vice to find jobs for Kadima clients transitional. We have people stay-
who, if they can, are expected to ing with us two years or more,"
work part-time or at least volun- Shallal said. "Everyone who
teer. It also offers outpatient coun- comes, we consider them perma-
nent."
seling services.
In the past three or four years,
Attracting donors, said Victor,
who recently left Kadima, has Kadima has made a push in the
been the emphasis of the organi- community for large donations.
And while its efforts are evident-
zation for the past three years.
"As soon as we open a home, ly successful, they have also
there are all sorts of people call- caused a deluge of phone calls
from people seeking help.
ing (for placement in the home).
"We get 50 or more calls a
The more successful we are in de-
veloping homes, the more need month and they all want resi-
dences," Shallal said. "There is a
there seems to be."
The first home donated to Kadi- growth of homeless, mentally-ill
ma at its inception 13 years ago Jewish people — about 15 in the
is named for Rabbi Solomon last year and a half. Most haven't
Gruskin. It houses six people and seen a psychiatrist; they were
is fully funded by the state. Like just discharged from a hospital;
the others, it is kosher and is lo- the homeless shelters are full;
they're disconnected from their
cated in Southfield.
Over the past four years, Kadi- family.
"Oftentimes, I will get them a
ma's client base grew from 45 to
150 individuals and its budget hotel room with money out of my
climbed from $350,000 to $1 mil- own pocket."
In the meantime, Kadima has
lion. Two-thirds of its money
comes from state Community been working to move longer-term
Mental Health dollars and the residents out of the homes into
rest from private fund-raising in transitional settings. Shallal re-
the form of direct solicitations and marked that she's always trying
an annual event that features a to catch up to the need in the com-
munity.
celebrity performer. This year,
"I never have enough homes
comedienne Elaine Boosler will
and apartments to put people in,
entertain at Orchestra Hall.
But during the same time, the and I may never have," she said.
Yet, Shallal is optimistic.
state has moved to shut down
"-I think we have momentum. I
state hospitals and insurance
companies are funneling dollars think we're still in our infancy. In
10 years, I think we could triple
away from inpatient care to home-
based services. The competition or quadruple our business."

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