Mike Schulman had been 'on the road' since 1995 until he hit Des Moines March 2004. He swept through Des Moines once before in 2000, but the timing was not right, and he left again to knock around the country. However, in March 2004, when he reached the bottom once again, he remembered Des Moines because he was comfortable with the service options available there -- he felt plugged into the process - by an organization called PHC.

Mike Schulman, Homeless Advocate and Primary Health Board Member, with Deirdre Henriquez, PHC Program Manager

Primary Health Care, Inc. (PHC) is a federally qualified community health center operating in Polk County, Iowa. The Center was formed in 1981 and in 1987 was expanded to include health care for the homeless. In 2002, mental health and chemical dependency programs were added. PHC includes programs for low cost prescriptions, transportation assistance, translation services, homeless and housing advocacy, family/child home visiting services, lead poison and prevention services, STD testing and HIV services along with all referral services. Currently, they offer 13 clinics in seven satellite centers in the Des Moines area that are supported by Community Development Block Grant and Continuum of Care funding.

When Mike rolled back into Des Moines in 2004, he contacted Deirdre Henriquez, Advocacy Program Manager with Primary Health Care in Des Moines. Her encouragement made a big difference for Mike and, along, with the services they provided, Mike knew he was making progress. Not only did they help him find housing, meals, gas vouchers, taxi vouchers, transportation, and laundry tokens, they also stood by him during the entire application process. They helped him complete the applications, went with him to his interviews -- all the things in life that frustrated him in the past. In the past, all these frustrations had kept him from settling down in one spot long enough to work through his issues because he would just walk away.

With Deirdre's help, in July 2004, Mike opened the door to his new apartment, which is with Anawim Housing, another HUD grantee with a subsidized housing program. Mike now works part-time at Des Moines' New Wells Fargo Arena and Convention Complex in downtown Des Moines. He works as a guest service usher meeting the stars of the entertainment world, but he likes working the Iowa Stars Hockey games the best.

Mike was chosen this past spring to join the Board of Primary Health Care, Inc., and was the recipient of the Bureau's scholarship to the national Conference on the Homeless in Portland, Oregon. Mike says, "Deirdre gave me the confidence to work through the system. It made me realize that folks wanted to help me. Attending the Homeless Conference in Portland, OR made me feel as if I was on the 'all-star team'. I was now an advocate for the homeless and I was tackling the problems and issues of people just like me. Attending the conference made me feel even more confident and empowered plus it took my mind off of my own personal problems." Mike goes on to say he now has goals and is ambitious. "It's hard to be motivated when you're homeless -- I needed a foundation."

Deirdre Henriquez suggests, "Affordable, decent housing is the key to finding your way out of homelessness. A place to call home should come first, and after that they can plan goals. I feel housing should come first and then rehab and goals can be obtained."