Physicians CareConnection Offers Client a Fresh Start

Marie Perry talks about PCC’s assistance.

Marie Perry and her son had packed up the few things they owned and were sitting outside the most recent in a series of hotels they’d been staying at since becoming homeless. 

Her son requires round-the-clock care for his severe mental illness, leaving Marie unable to work outside the home. The family’s only income came from his monthly disability checks. 

Marie made the final $60 payment she could afford, and was then told she could no longer stay at the hotel. With nowhere else to go and no means of transportation, they sat and contemplated their next move. 

“We’d been sitting outside the hotel and it was very cold that day,” Marie said. 

Her aunt had helped her get a cell phone and she’d been making countless calls to get some assistance, but so far nothing had come through. 

“I only had a couple more days until that phone was shut off,” she said. “That’s when they called.” 

The call Marie received came from Physicians CareConnection, an affiliate of the Columbus Medical Association. 

PCC would, “be able to, not only continue to pay for the motel room (but) be able to help out with transportation, which was a big deal because I didn’t have a vehicle to get around,” Marie said. 

“She was looking for help with her hotel stay and the apartment she had applied for was still pending approval,” said Yphounne Neal, a Care Coordinator with PCC. “We stepped in and helped.” 

PCC was able to cover an additional five weeks at the hotel, giving Marie and her son some much-needed time to wait for her apartment to be approved. 

Marie had a Section 8 voucher through the local housing authority, but the applications for housing regularly took more than a month to process and required an approved inspection. 

“It was so exhausting,” Marie said. “We didn’t know how to navigate the system to find the resources.” 

PCC was able to help coordinate the care that she needed and guide her through the difficult process. The organization was even able to work with the housing authority to expedite her application. 

After two failed attempts, Marie’s apartment inspection passed in March. 

“My son and I, we have our own place,” Marie said. “That was the sigh of relief there. I was able to exhale because we were in and … yeah, we were in.” 

Her journey with Physicians CareConnection is moving forward, too. 

Since getting her into her new home, PCC care coordinators have helped her catch up on outstanding utilities bills and are working with her on building a resume and starting the job search process. 

“They say it takes a village to raise a kid,” Marie said. “In these times, it takes a village to help and assist a family.” 

Physicians CareConnection, an affiliate of the Columbus Medical Association, is a volunteer-based charitable organization that helps coordinate care for vulnerable adults in Central Ohio. PCC serves any person who has healthcare challenges due to individual barriers across a seven-county area that includes Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Union and Madison counties.

Visit pcchealth.org to learn more.