CityView Magazine

32 | January/February 2019 "e interns are the liaisons that set the community resource connections in place," she said. "As case managers, they assess each client first and then work to set up a stabilization plan – what we call a roadmap – to help them set goals and alleviate barriers they may encounter. As they work with the individual or family, the interns begin to advocate for them at other agencies depending on the needs." e other agencies can include the Department of Social Services, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, the Salvation Army, and the Housing Authority, among others. ere are a plethora of resources available in the community but the key is "knowing how to navigate them," Lassetter said. Connections staff strive not to duplicate these community services but rather to help clients find them and utilize them. Case manager interns may help clients with needs ranging from securing ID cards and vital documents such as birth certificates to bigger demands such as maintaining or obtaining housing. Some interns and other volunteers engage in a more intensive case-management process with referred clients who commit to a two-year initiative known as Connect- 2-Redirect (C2R). Important to this process is the C.A.R.E. (Coaching, Accountability, Resources and Empowerment) team that provides a foundation of services and immediate housing for single mothers if approved for admission. e C2R component of Connections of Cumberland County has a current need for a volunteer coach as well as other volunteers throughout the year. Volunteers may apply using the online form and the background Top: Connections of Cumberland County Executive Director Crystal Bennett Left: Interns and other volunteers engage in a more intensive case-management process with referred clients.

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