Justin Tipple’s apartment is a mess right now, but for good reason. Justin is packing to move into his first independent apartment.
“I’ve experienced a lot of setbacks, but I knew I could do it. I just kept moving forward.” Said Justin, as we sat in his living room. “There was a time when I thought I’d never live alone, but then I got connected with Thrives services and here I am.”
Raised in Coventry by his grandfather, Justin began receiving support in school that addressed his mental health. As his grandfather aged, Justin became his primary caregiver, but that all changed when his grandfather passed away. Unable to live on his own, Justin’s Aunt reached out to Thrive Behavioral Health, (Formerly known as the Kent Center) the state’s designated Community Behavioral Health Center for Kent County and got him quickly connected with services. Justin moved into Thrive’s residential program in East Greenwich in 2013.
Thrive serves five congregate care homes in Rhode Island both in the East Bay and West Bay. “You won’t find a sign on our programs as we try to fit into the community like any other home in the state,” said Beverly Lachapelle Program Manager for residential services operating on the West Bay. Residents in the programs work with a team to coordinate their physical and mental health care. Everyone works on their personal goals, and many want to work toward independent living. Clients work with their care teams, including doctors, nurses, case managers and clinicians, to develop an individual recovery plan guided by the client’s goals, preferences, and values.
With the right combination of support and care in the group home, Justin learned coping skills, stabilized on his medication, and made the next steps towards independent living by moving to Thrive’s supervised apartment program. This program gives residents semi autonomy with daily life tasks, while still having some wrap around services for support when needed 24 hours 7 days a week.
“This is what I’d been looking forward to the most. I love to decorate and now finally I have my own space. I spend my time watching TV, playing video games, taking apart and putting electronics back together. I even volunteer as a janitor with my friend at one of the schools in West Warwick,” said Justin.
“As the Program Manager for the West Bay Residential programs I can honestly say that I am so proud of Justin and how far he has come. He is an individual who accepted his circumstances and really faced them head on and has achieved so much for himself. He has moved forward from living in one of our group homes to the supervised apartment program and is now moving to live on his own independently. Each one of those steps were proud moments for all of us, but most importantly Justin was able to see the growth he himself has made. He is a true role model. We wish him all the best and cannot congratulate him enough on a job well done!”