Meet Greg LaBranche

04/25/2026

A Freedom Trail

Wraparound Services When one of our editors, Mr. Tell, proposed the concept of a path from streets to housed, the concept hit home with Doc. Transitioning from one particular world view to another, or from a homeless lifestyle to a housed one, is a process, a path to follow. Putting our homeless from where they are currently into a housed situation, as in the housing first ideology, will require a freedom similar to what they are experiencing now, a volitional transition....

Explore the wraparound services approach that facilitates housing for the homeless, promoting individualized, strengths-based recovery.

04/17/2026

A Path to Restoration

I can't find my way home Love your work, Ms. Melanie: “Friday morning, the stench of urine in front of the shelter was overpowering despite the mild temperatures that didn’t get past 65 degrees. And it’s only April. Numerous people were seen disappearing into an alleyway-like path behind the shelter — perhaps there is a back entrance to the complex.”...

Explore the challenges of Lowell's homeless community and the call for a restoration path to improve lives and neighborhood health.

04/09/2026

The Path

From Streets to Stability Just recently the concept of incentives was mentioned. Maybe you are wondering how incentives can help with Homeless Addiction Disorders! All they seem to focus on is the next re-up, or getting good, "you have a couple dollars?" The only care in their world appears to be scoring more alcohol, he**in, or co***ne. Well, let's change the way we look at things....

Discover how incentives can transform Homeless Addiction Disorders into pathways for stability, exploring deeper connections in recovery.

03/30/2026

Clinical Peace Officers

The A in ARMOR represents Affirmation, which from a community psychology perspective is what we as community members provide for each other. Sense of community: A definition and theory. In the words of our city manager, "what can we do together?" Borrowed from John Vincent's recent article:enewspaper.lowellsun.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=35e79b58-157a-4e46-a285-1585ae5924d8&share=true Our featured image commemorates a few of Doc’s most loved and cherished mentors, professors from UMass, Lowell....

https://myvsn.com/clinical-peace-officers/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Inspiring human behavior is a process, inciting desired outcomes with incentives is too, like how politicians leverage their incentives for votes.

03/22/2026

First! It Works!

What “Housing First” really meansWhy housing is part of treatmentCommon criticisms of Housing FirstEvidence and success stories next The close of February offered a close-to-home perspective and early roots of how one might end up homeless. As we reflect today on what, why, and how housing first works, a dear friend comes to mind –Tall Jimmy. He liked to share, during our group meetings words worthy of contemplation: “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.” To continue along the lines of Tall Jimmy’s insightfulness and continue along the path of that unhoused, young man’s journey, let’s take a gander at a major contributing systemic follow-up fumble: …...

What “Housing First” really meansWhy housing is part of treatmentCommon criticisms of Housing FirstEvidence and success stories next The close of February offered a close-to-home perspective and ea…

03/03/2026

Step into March

Month 3: Why Housing First Housing First Explained:Theme of the month! As already mentioned, this year we delve deeper into dialogue (brainstorming) of how to resolve our nation's homelessness crisis, with a different topic for discussion each month. After several years of working with our HADs (Homeless Addiction Disorders), we learned a great deal about our subculture and how best to navigate and administer our…...

Explore the Housing First initiative and its vital role in addressing homelessness by securing essential resources for survival.

02/28/2026

Homeless Roots

As mentioned in our earlier Brief, how folks end up homeless is extremely complex, it’s not just due to one or two factors. Folks like to assume things this way and that way, like their drug addiction, or mental health condition, or simply being lazy criminals puts them out on the streets. Sure, this sort of view alleviates responsibility, right? We can just kick back and lounge on the “Bystander Effect.” …...

https://myvsn.com/homeless-roots/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social

02/15/2026

Balance for February

Doc’s going ice fishing now, more soon. Oh yeah, Happy Valentine’s Day, to all the wonderful ladies who have graced our ARMOR Program over the years. Wood Jeff, you are being honored today as well, for the many years of your service. My daughter found a Wooden Rose to give my wife today: wood is good and money does grow on trees!...

Explore the complexities of housing crises and systemic challenges in communities while advocating for harm reduction strategies.

02/03/2026

Root Causes of Homelessness

An interesting, featured image, created by Ms. Emily LaBranche inspires today's News Brief! The artwork portrays a moon and the sun, plus two words. On the moon side it reads “clueless” and on the sun side it reads “sacrifice,” which made little sense until Doc’s daughter explained. This month's theme looks at the complexity of "how"• Housing costs and wage gaps…...

Explore the complexity of homelessness, mental health, and community support inspired by art and personal stories of resilience.

01/25/2026

The PIT

Are we at a Point in Time when it may behoove the powers that be, you know, those making decisions for how best to deal with our homeless crisis, to better understand harm-reduction? After working endless hours and spending quality time for the past decade with our community’s cohort of homeless people, it’s very rewarding to see that many have genuine souls of integrity!...

Explore the critical need for harm reduction in tackling the homeless crisis and learn how collaboration can save lives.

01/12/2026

January: Understanding Homelessness

There is no way we are going to be able to explain homelessness in a single News Brief. A little bit about their culture though, from our perspective of course, and within communities a little north of Boston is a nice place to begin. Studies in the social sciences, with great mentors and professors, the concept of different societies, or social networks, and/or any group of people, being - culturally bound - caught my attention and stayed....

Explore the intricate culture of homelessness and addiction, understanding its roots and the importance of community support in recovery.

12/31/2025

Families Coping when Someone they Love is Struggling

Doc’s Resolution for the New Year This one is dedicated to a wonderful new friend, Ms. Lois Zeiler! Ever wonder what your role in, or how you are influencing, and maybe even fueling our nation’s homeless crisis? Well, it is clear as mountain air that no amount of money or services are about to find a new year’s resolution any time soon....

Explore effective strategies for addressing homelessness in the new year, emphasizing compassion, understanding, and community support.