Breaking Barriers to Recovery

SouthLight’s Approach to Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)  

By Susan Gilbert from a conversation with Tristan Wever, SouthLight SDOH Manager  

You might not hear the term “Social Determinants of Health” often, but its impact is everywhere. Factors that shape our health beyond medical care—like housing, transportation, education, and access to care—create a ripple effect that touches nearly every aspect of our wellbeing. 

The focus at SouthLight is to treat people who struggle with addiction and mental health, while addressing clients’ SDOH needs. These needs play an important role in their recovery journeys. 

Call It “Resource Advocacy”  

SouthLight’s dedicated Social Determinants of Health team (Tristan Wever and Ian Hope) work closely with the organization’s teams to connect clients with resources that help them move along their path toward a healthy life. This holistic approach frees therapists, clinicians, and other direct care employees to focus on what they need to do.  

If someone needs additional resources that would support their ability to regularly attend their therapy or care sessions, for example, the SDOH team receives a referral. The issue might be transportation, so they would meet with the client and provide resources to gain access to a bus pass, along with information on shuttle and transportation services. A SouthLight nurse might reach out to the SDOH team for a client who has an urgent dental problem, and they’ll work to connect that person with free or low-cost care. In other cases, clients stop by the Drop-In Center during the week and ask for assistance with things like food resources, setting up an email, or help seeking employment.  

Bringing Help to Clients  

The SDOH team has built an extensive network of connections with local community resources to meet a variety of client needs. They further reduce barriers to access by hosting partners at the Raleigh Hub. With a goal of one event per quarter, various supportive services are brought on-site. This saves and maximizes the clients’ time, effort, and personal resources.  

One client had been getting by wearing glasses with just one lens. Every time he had to read something, he’d cover one eye to focus on the words. Through the free eye care service that came to SouthLight, he was able to get a new pair of prescription glasses. When he put them on, he looked up and said, simply, “Thank you.” 

Another community partner brought in legal services for a day and helped 165 people dismiss or expunge their minor charges, making it easier for them to find housing options and seek employment.  

Recovery Is About Support and Empowerment  

There are many things that better-resourced individuals don’t have to worry about, but some clients may worry about constantly. The most common issues are housing concerns, lack of food resources, clothing needs, transportation issues, and “social and community” needs (like IDs, Social Security cards, cell phones, etc.). The SouthLight SDOH team works to support these additional elements of someone’s life needs that might cause barriers to care or increased distress.  

At the same time, the team’s focus is on empowering those they work with and being mindful to work at each client’s pace. This means if there is something a client can do for themselves, it’s important to empower them to do it and achieve that victory toward their goal. When one client wanted to obtain their GED, they received help with the search for resources on the topic, website links, and contact information. This allowed them to complete their application and follow up on the next steps toward their educational goal.

The SDOH team acts as the “connector or initiator,” and the client is supported to complete the task or personal goal.

Self-achievement is important; it motivates and emboldens someone to keep working on their goals.  

No One-Size-Fits-All  

It is up to the individual to determine their own needs as they work toward their vision of a healthy and fulfilling life. The SDOH team’s role is to listen, gather information and resources, and look at the whole picture to support that vision. If someone is experiencing homelessness, that might be their most urgent concern. Then again, they could be staying with a friend, so finding a job might be their main priority. Each person’s situation and identified solutions are highly personal, and this is something the SDOH team always takes into consideration.   

Addressing the clients’ Social Determinants of Health is an important component of treatment at SouthLight. We are well known as a place to get back on your feet—to recover from addiction and mental health issues.

By removing barriers on this journey, the door to healing opens.