Hey everyone,
I have some solid, tangible progress to report on the professional front, alongside the critical financial hurdles we need to clear to make the landing stick.
The Professional License (LPC) – The bureaucracy is moving! All the heavy lifting is done regarding my Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) application. Based on the latest update from the board, I am looking at a turnaround of just 3-6 business days before the license is officially issued. This is the "Golden Key." Once that number is active, I am fully clear to accept offers from the healthcare systems I’ve been targeting. The professional infrastructure is built and ready to go.
The Strategic Hurdle – Legal Protection Here is the immediate bottleneck: To safely navigate the job market, I need to finalize my Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana (MMJ) card. For me, this isn't just about health management; it is about legal employment protection. Pennsylvania law offers specific protections for registered patients during pre-employment drug screenings. To ensure that my necessary medication doesn't disqualify me from the jobs I am otherwise perfectly qualified for, I need to have this card in hand before I take a drug test. This requires a specific $50 state fee.
The Survival Gap – While the license is days away, the reality of the waiting period remains. I still need to eat, pay for transportation to get to appointments, and cover daily essentials. The "3-6 business days" for the license—plus the weeks until a first paycheck—is a gap I cannot cross without resources.
The Ask:
Immediate Need: $50 to finalize the MMJ card and secure my legal protections.
Ongoing Need: The remainder of the campaign goal is the bridge that keeps me fed, mobile, and safe during this transition.
If we can clear the $50 hurdle and chip away at the rest, I will have the license to work, the legal armor to accept the job, and the resources to survive until I start earning.
Thank you for helping me build this safety net. We are so close to the finish line!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund
#MutualAid #TransCrowdFund #DisabilityCrowdFund #GoFundMe #Plurality #Neurodivergent #SystemPride #LPC #Pittsburgh #SurvivalMode #Solidarity




