Gaudenzia Philly House

 

The Many Hurdles of Reentry

 

Student Interns:          

Shrilakkshmi Babu, Drexel University College of Medicine

Gail Hutchings, Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Academic Preceptor:

Charlene Chen, MD, DipABLM, Esperanza Health

 

Community Preceptor:

Agnes Brown, Gaudenzia Philly House

 

Community Site:

A community corrections facility for women reentering society, Gaudenzia Philly House is a 24-hour residential facility focused on mental health and substance-use treatment. Gaudenzia Philly House houses approximately 20 women at any given time. While Gaudenzia runs it, it is funded by the Department of Corrections, so residents are still technically incarcerated. Residents receive treatment for any substance use or mental health issues they may have and attend group therapy together. They live there until they find housing, either independently or through family or friends. Once approved by their parole officers, they may leave. The mission is to help women gain the life skills they need to reenter society, improve their well-being, and have a sustainable fresh start.

 

Team’s Experience:

The Bridging the Gaps student interns at Gaudenzia gathered resources related to health and life skills education and presented them to clients both individually and in groups. The interns also helped some clients set up healthcare appointments and accompanied some to better advocate for their health concerns. They also signed up residents for health insurance, picked up medications, and sought proper medical supplies for residents at low cost. Throughout the summer they also helped residents find affordable housing, job fairs, and career training courses and researched legal issues pertaining to employment and housing. All the resources they found throughout the summer were compiled into a document for the next group of interns to help save time and energy.

 

Reflections:

Shrilakkshmi Babu: “Working as an intern at Gaudenzia Philly House opened my eyes to the several obstacles individuals transitioning from incarceration face on a day-to-day basis trying to build their life back up after prison. Every aspect of their life, from health insurance to state IDs to disability benefits, has so many steps needed that seem straightforward but are, in fact, taller orders to fulfill than one would think. The residents at Gaudenzia have to juggle finding housing, employment, and healthcare on top of adjusting to living with others in a new environment. Several of the systems in place make it difficult for reentrants to access the basic necessities for living in society, with housing and healthcare being the biggest challenges. Incarceration, particularly for felons, carries stigma, and the lack of resources as well as the many requisites to get available resources can make things feel impossible to achieve. Still, the residents of Gaudenzia Philly House continue one step at a time thanks to their resilient attitudes and willingness to change their life. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to make meaningful connections with each of the residents. Their openness in sharing their stories with me and being able to work by their sides allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how I can better serve their population as a future physician.”

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Gail Hutchings: “Working at Gaudenzia made me more aware of how difficult it can be to reenter society without strong family support or housing options. Being in a community corrections facility makes things very difficult for the women who rely on benefits such as Social Security, disability, and Medicare to be able to access and claim those benefits. Without those benefits, it’s harder for them to find housing, and be able to transition to independence. Older reentrants face even more problems, especially in being able to find jobs or sources of income other than those social benefits. It changed my perspective on what sort of needs this population has, and how I can better serve them throughout my career in policy and program implementation. I’m grateful for the connections I made and for the trust I was given by the residents so that I could learn how to support them better.”

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Mental Health Partnerships, The Well and A New Life

 

Empowering Minds and Nurturing Connections: Mental Health Transformations Through Language, Wellness, and Culture

Student Intern:

Khushi Doshi, Drexel University College of Medicine

Academic Preceptor:

Charlene Chen, MD, Esperanza Health Center

Community Preceptors:

Tanya Doyle, Mental Health Partnerships

Cheryl Smith, Mental Health Partnerships

 

Community Site:

Since 1951, Mental Health Partnerships (MHP) has been at the forefront of transforming mental health services. Its foundation lies in a community-based approach that nurtures self-efficacy and community involvement, allowing individuals to take control of their own health journeys and overcome significant challenges. Offering a wide and diverse range of services, training, advocacy, and resources to the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey areas, MHP has emerged as a trailblazer in mental health services and comprehensive support. The Well and A New Life are recovery learning centers located in Philadelphia that connect participants to natural community support, provide one-on-one counseling, and offer recovery-oriented education classes. 

 

Team’s Experience:

The Bridging the Gaps student intern developed, integrated, and led participant group sessions on wellness. The intern educated participants on maintaining their health through exercises and led educational sessions on stress management, nutrition, and oral health. Taking part in language learning sessions, the intern emphasized the importance of continuous curiosity and cultural awareness, encouraging participants to keep an open mind and continue learning. Fostering community awareness, the intern planned and organized an inter-program event to train the participants of both locations in Narcan competency and distributed Narcan.

 

Reflections:

Khushi Doshi: “My BTG CHIP experience allowed me to build relationships within a community of people looking to better themselves and others. I gained valuable insight into the personal experiences that many of the participants have had with the jail system and other resources they have tried to access in the past. I was inspired by the participants’ willingness to learn the material talked about in groups and implement [it] into their own lives, including learning a new language. I was able to relay the importance of self-care through diet, exercise, and mindfulness activities.  I hope to integrate this knowledge I gained about resources and organizations in the area into my medical practice and use the techniques I developed to educate my patients about diet and exercise in a way that is feasible and inspiring.”

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Prevention Point

 

Harm Reduction at Prevention Point Philadelphia

 

Student Interns:

Paulina Lipman, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Claire West, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

 

Academic Preceptors:

Hillary R. Bogner, MD, MSCE, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Donald L. Boyer, MD, MSEd, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

Maria Hervada-Page, MSS, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
 

Community Preceptor:

Nicole Sage, MS, Prevention Point Philadelphia

 

Community Site:

Prevention Point Philadelphia provides harm reduction services to Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Now a nonprofit public health organization, Prevention Point was started in 1991 by ACT UP Philadelphia (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) as a grassroots underground organization that distributed syringes to help reduce HIV transmission among intravenous drug users. After lobbying efforts, Mayor Ed Rendell issued an executive order in 1992 legalizing possession of syringes. Subsequently, Prevention Point grew into a larger organization providing a host of harm reduction and related services, including medical care, overdose prevention education, naloxone distribution, and case management as well as housing, meals, and mail services for people facing housing instability.

 

Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns worked closely with the Syringe Services Program. Their activities included creating syringe supply kits and overdose prevention kits and preparing other materials for distribution. The interns helped medical case managers audit and update paper medical charts and met with participants during syringe services to provide them with materials and services that met their needs. The experience provided an excellent opportunity for the BTG interns to learn and practice harm reduction principles while engaging with and listening to community members.

 

Reflections:

Paulina Lipman and Claire West: “This internship has been an extremely valuable experience for us as second-year medical students. It has taught us about the complexities of harm reduction, the importance of community-based health initiatives, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. As we move forward in our medical careers, the insights and skills gained from this internship will undoubtedly influence each of our approaches to patient care. The importance of actively listening to and acknowledging the complexities of each individual’s story are lessons we will carry on. Our time at PPP has not only helped shape our professional horizons but has also deepened our commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.”