Greg was 19 and cycling in and out of Cleveland emergency rooms. He wasn’t living with a chronic condition, nor was he battling a substance use disorder. He simply had nowhere to sleep.

"I was in and out of the hospital because I didn’t have anywhere to stay," he said. “Some nights I was at my aunt’s house but most nights I was outside. I didn’t want to trespass, so I went where I knew things were open.”

Though Greg’s challenges were social-related needs – stable shelter, access to food – the healthcare delivery setting is where he kept finding himself. That repeat pattern is what Waymark Signal^TM is built to find, and it’s how Greg was connected to Waymark. In the spring of 2026, Signal flagged Greg’s admission and discharge events, and Mynette – a Waymark community health worker (CHW) in Ohio – called him.

"He responded from day one," Mynette said. "We never had any issues connecting. He definitely wanted to reach the goals that he had for himself."

Two goals and a focused pursuit

Mynette opened by asking Greg what he wanted. He named two things: a place to live and a job.

"I had some goals and plans, like being able to get a job," Greg said. "Just to have some stable income." He had held a job while he was waiting on housing, and he lost the thread of it the way people without an address often do. 

"It happens. It can happen to the best of us," he said. "A lot of people would probably be panicking in my situation, especially at a young age. But I knew I was doing what I could to get back on my feet, and Waymark was also there to help out."

Waymark’s care teams work by knowing exactly who in a community holds the resource a patient needs, and how quickly they can get to them.

Mynette connected Greg to ongoing case management and brief therapy services, and secured him a referral for a youth transitional housing program. It is a door Waymark could open because of the community partnerships it maintains. Greg went through the program's application process and was accepted for a spot, giving him a stable place to live.

"He surpassed other applicants based on his willingness to stick with the program, have a peer supporter, and reach his goals, just as he did with me," Mynette said.

Next up was finding a job. Greg has had interviews – which he says were easier to access since having a stable address – and looks forward to working while considering what he wants to go to school for. “I’m thinking a trade, or maybe psychology,” he said. “There’s something about being able to help people’s minds that sounds good. But working with my hands is how I keep my mind calm too.”

Building a young person’s future

Now that Greg has safe and stable housing, he's able to focus on other aspects of improving his quality of life. Before Waymark, Greg had gone months without seeing a doctor. Now he has a primary care provider who offers Saturday appointments. For someone actively interviewing for jobs, weekday appointments are hard to protect. A weekend option is what lets primary care actually stay in reach. He has kept every visit since.

"He hasn’t had any ER visits since we met," Mynette said. "He has MyChart. He knows how to handle his own health care concerns now. He’s on his way to being a responsible adult.”

“I think when Waymark first called, I wasn’t too sure what you all could do,” Greg added. “But if I was talking to someone else who got that call, I’d tell them to stick with it. Stick with the appointments that got scheduled and touch base with your CHW often.”

“These things, being without somewhere to sleep or out of work, that can happen to anyone,” he continued. “It’s not a bad thing to receive the help someone’s offering, and Waymark offered it when I really needed it.”