like ellery. >> stealing. fraud. i've done a lot of things. i've been arrested a lot of times. >> reporter: pathways found ellery on the street, asked him what he needed to stay out of trouble, and like most homeless, he said housing. many programs offer housing but only after the individual cleans up his or her act. pathways offers housing first. >> and then we move the person directly literally from the street into the apartment, and all through that time there's a team of support working with the person comprised of a psychiatrist, social workers, nurse, addiction specialists. >> it's not easy moving from life behind bars and on the street to a life with responsibility. >> i would never imagine having money in my pocket. i would never imagine having a bank account or buying things that i want or going to the clothing store and buying clothes, you know. those were things that i was not used to. >> ellery has been off drugs and on medication now for seven years. >> i would say my attitude has changed a lot. because, my bipolar disorder had me