Citation

Fonfield-Ayinla G. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 2009; 79(3): 299-300.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, American Orthopsychiatric Association, Publisher Wiley Blackwell)

DOI

10.1037/a0017239

PMID

19839666

Abstract

The author describes her experiences of domestic violence, homelessness, and the services and programs she was forced to rely upon. She and her young daughter went in and out of temporary housing programs. At one point she was hospitalized, and her daughter was put into foster care, until her family was located. When she got better, she had to prove that she was a worthy parent to the Department of Social Services. She and her daughter are currently on the road to recovery. They were fortunate to have met some compassionate social workers, service providers who went above and beyond, her caring family doctor, and others in the field who respected her drive to achieve and move past the trauma she experienced. They helped her turn her tragedies into empowerment and healing. She gained respect and felt supported when she chose to return to school, and eventually graduated with a Human Service degree. Her plan is to work to change policies related to homelessness. She wants to help prevent senseless family homelessness, especially when prevention is possible and much less costly. The author describes changes that could be made to benefit homeless service programs.

Language: en