“Mental illness and homelessness are conditions, not crimes,” says NYFS Community Advocate Morgan Merritt.
As an advocate, Morgan works with community members who have frequent contact with law enforcement and helps clients address underlying issues that contribute to the need for crisis intervention. She serves adults in the Mounds View, New Brighton, Roseville, St. Anthony and White Bear Lake area and many of these clients experience chronic mental health concerns, family instability, housing instability, complex medical needs and chemical dependency.
Morgan previously worked as a case manager at a short-term shelter for abused youth and those experiences will inform her work in this new role. “This work goes beyond stabilization,” she says. “I’m looking forward to helping clients understand their options, get the support they deserve and create a better safety net for themselves in the future,” she says. “That’s what we’re here for.”
