An alarming education
Dr. Jocelyn Gainers’ mother, who worked as a school counselor in Baltimore City, would often share stories about the students she worked with and the problems their families were facing. Years later, while doing undergraduate work in psychology, Dr. Gainers received first-hand exposure to those same hardships being endured by her community. She visited homes filled with poverty and dysfunctional family structures, providing her with insight into the effects of both. Dr. Gainers believes that trauma is the root of both of these issues. Lower-income communities generate more traumatic experiences in individuals. If the trauma is not properly healed, it affects the family as a whole. Each member of the family, including children, may be dealing with a unique trauma which, taken together, can create a toxic environment. To help repair this damage, Dr. Gainers is dedicated to identifying all possible resources that could help individuals heal and make families more stable. “I said to myself early on that if I had the chance to work with families and help them, I would do whatever it takes,” Dr. Gainers shares.
Family support At Family Recovery Program, families are treated together and encouraged to support one another. It’s especially beneficial for children to see their parents progress through recovery. “Most children we work with are fearful that their parents will leave again,” says Dr. Gainers. “I’ve seen kids get nervous when their moms leave the room. So once a family is reunified, we want to keep it that way.” FRP equips their clients with skills and resources that will help preserve their recovery long after leaving the program. The Parent Mentors Program allows FRP mentors to accompany parents throughout the day and help prepare them to be productive citizens and parents, helping them shop for their family’s groceries and taking them to community meetings. Recently, FRP also completed a project that will provide families with two and three bedroom houses for up to 18 months after leaving treatment. It aims to help maintain sobriety while keeping families close and comfortable.
A common goal In the 40 years since her mother first shared stories of Baltimore’s struggles, Dr. Gainers is worried that change isn’t occurring fast enough. While she sees more availability of resources, there’s still a pressing need to strengthen the network of public assistance facilities across the city. “What we try to do at Family Recovery Program is replicate community through our affiliations,” Dr. Gainers explains. “That’s how change can happen for the long-run.” They do this by connecting clients, businesses and government programs throughout Baltimore. Partnerships are essential to FRP, which runs as a non-profit and relies on outside providers and funding to help meet the needs of every client.
“We all help each other towards a common goal. It’s like a family.” “I’ve seen kids get nervous when their moms leave the room.” - Dr. Jocelyn Gainers 11
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