By VALERIE ROSEBERRY

SPiN Cafe

As a case manager at SPiN Cafe, I wanted to weigh in on what was stated in a recent article about proposed responses to conversations surrounding SPiN Cafe.

Oak Harbor Police Chief Tony Slowik mentioned that “the department” spends 35 hours a week at SPiN cafe. He then went on to clarify that he was including the work of Island County Human Services employees who often come to SPiN because it is a convenient place to meet with clients, many of whom are also at SPiN cafe.

Since the article is focusing on “perceptions,” I wanted to clarify a potential perception that could come from Oak Harbor’s police chief saying that his “department” is spending 35 hours a week at SPiN. A person doing a cursory read of the article might assume that this means that Oak Harbor’s police are here responding to calls that often. That would indeed be a misperception. While SPiN staff does not hesitate to call 911 to deal with issues that may require a police presence and while we are grateful for the support OHPD offers in those matters, the majority of hours that Chief Slowik seems to be counting here are of a very different nature.

The reality of the situation is something that I believe to be a strength of SPiN Cafe: That being continued positive collaboration with Island County Human Services case managers in an effort to bring support to clients of SPiN cafe and to other individuals in the community. I have the pleasure of collaborating with these case managers frequently throughout my week. I sit down with each person who comes into SPiN Cafe to try to get a sense of what their needs are. I then put in a referral to organizations that I believe can help that client. Most often, that referral is to someone with Island County Human Services.

As was mentioned, we do have a solid relationship with individuals who work with the co-responders program. In addition, twice a week, Island County’s Outreach Housing case manager spends a few hours at SPiN assisting people in understanding their housing options in Island County and working to find housing options that fit each person. Off and on throughout the week, we see case managers from the Recovery Navigators and, when staffing permits, Opioid Outreach. We also see case managers from the Outreach Case Management and Behavioral Court Coordination, as well as on occasion folks from Island County Veterans’ Services.

These county workers come to assist clients seeking drug or alcohol recovery programs, accessing mental health care, going to social security appointments, working with DSHS for long term housing options, or helping people to get benefits and support. Because we have a conference room and room at SPiN for individuals to meet with these support services, SPiN becomes a convenient place for that good work to happen.

Chief Slowik has mentioned that he would love for SPiN Cafe to be a place where people have a “one-stop shop” to access support for food, lodging and case management. Because of our close collaboration with Island County case managers, we come close to that being a reality at SPiN Cafe. The individuals who access services at SPiN are some of the most vulnerable in our community and because of these collaborations we are able to see more individuals housed, more individuals taken to recovery and treatment programs, more individuals able to access supportive services in our community. If anything, this is a thing to be proud of and a way that this program is working to better Whidbey Island.

As a case manager at SPiN, I see the challenges that our clients come in with first hand. I am impressed and humbled every day by the strength that I see in the clients who I work with and their ability even to just keep going in the face of incredible hardships. I also get to see first hand the successes of our clients. It is a joy to be able to see people who have been through so much finally get the key to a new apartment or room at a long term care facility. It is gratifying to see people who are ready to pursue recovery from substance use to do so.

I am so grateful for the incredible collaboration that we have with Island County Human Resources, as well as other agencies on the island (SeaMar, Compass, Sunrise, etc) and the tremendous work we get to do together to move people forward and out of homelessness. I am so grateful that the folks who work with Island County Human Services and those who work with the Oak Harbor Police Department who see the inherent dignity of our clients. If anything, the hours mentioned largely representing collaboration and client support are something our entire community can be proud of as evidence of people finding greater stability and quality of life here on Whidbey Island.

SPiN is open to hearing concerns from the community and extremely grateful for the many supporters who allow us to continue to provide services for island residents experiencing homelessness. I am confident that with the support of our community, we will be able to continue to make SPiN cafe a place where success stories happen.

Valerie Roseberry is the case manager at SPiN Cafe, a nonprofit organization that “serves people experiencing homelessness on Whidbey Island, as well as community members who might have a place to stay, but nowhere to call home,” according to the website.