Roy Martin walked miles home from the emergency room, his throat cut earlier that night in an altercation on the street that he miraculously survived. But the home he was returning to had no heat, water or electricity. This was the house he grew up in, his siblings no longer around. Not every night was this hard, but for fifteen years Roy lived alone in this empty house, on the Atlanta streets and under bridges.

Roy knocks on the metal plates in his skull from other episodes of street violence he faced while experiencing homelessness. His voice is gruff, his posture guarded. But when asked about the family he has at Mercy Care, he melts. Long lines cover his face as a smile spreads up around his eyes. He nods.

“Mercy Care has done right by me,” Roy begins. “These glasses, my clothes, my teeth, apartment, therapy; I’ve gotten everything I have now because of Mercy Care.”

Substance abuse counselor Ron White and Beverly Kerr-Caesar, senior mental health specialist and Roy’s active case manager, have walked with Roy through a process that began just over a year ago when he first met Mercy Care at Central Presbyterian Church. They helped Roy obtain his social security and identification cards and birth certificate before leading him to housing at Gateway Center and through a gamut of behavioral health courses at Mercy Care from substance abuse to anger management. Last month, Roy received keys to his own apartment where he can now bathe privately and cook regularly – things he expressly appreciates.

“I’m really happy he’s off the street,” said Beverly. “The stable housing he’s in offers the support needed to maintain his success. And it was really a team effort from Mercy Care.”

According to Beverly, many patients using social services get tired of going through the systems, and they give up. But something clicked for Roy this time around. He owns his progress and continues moving forward. Roy is now a friendly face in the waiting area where he makes a point to converse with everyone around – staff and patients alike.

“He feels at home here,” Ron White said. “He’s told me this is his family now.”

Roy comes to Mercy Care Decatur Street every day to visit his family — his substance abuse counselor, case manager, dental assistants, medical office staff and even the security guards he is proudly “cool with.”

“He heeds our guidance,” Ron said. “We’ve all come together for Roy, and it’s because he’s willing to use our services to their fullest. He comes to substance abuse class every day, when it’s only required once a week. He goes beyond what’s expected of him.”

His unique place in the Mercy Care community has been the glue for Roy. Mercy Care became his medical home and he continues to utilize all services including dental and optometry.

“I took it step by step, one appointment to the next,” Roy said. “And I continue to make appointments when I need them. Mercy Care has been with me the whole time.”

After fifteen years of wandering on his own, Roy finally found his way into a support network. The integrated medical and mental health care model at Mercy Care became a beacon for Roy that ultimately led him to a home he’ll share with his ‘new family’ for years to come.