Three CAPA Sites Embrace Healing Communities Send To Printer | Close Window

By Joseph Williams, Christian Association for Prison Aftercare

Last year’s CAPA conference could be characterized by a great deal of enthusiasm on the part of those who attended. A major aspect of this enthusiasm was related to the partnership between CAPA and the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) regarding the Healing Communities model. Approximately 200 local church leaders and 50 conference participants attended the Thursday, October 15th workshop that was hosted by Dr. Harold Dean Trulear. Many of those who attended the workshop and the Reaching the Church with Reentry event, expressed interest in taking the Healing Communities model to their local communities.

Following the conference, three sites began working on implementing the Healing Communities model in their local area. A group of churches in the Baltimore, Prince George’s County and Washington, DC led by Alfreda Robinson-Dawkins, President of the National Women’s Prison Project (NWPP), had a head start on the other groups. CAPA, NWPP and AECF leaders began to work with church leaders in the Baltimore area prior to the conference in order to introduce them to the Healing Communities Model. The Baltimore church leaders formed a committee to get the word out to other church leaders in the area. The result was a very successful event designed especially for local church leaders. NWPP has brought over 25 local leaders from various churches that are committed to implementing the Healing Communities model in that area.

Gretchen Kerr, a leader at the Northland Church in Orlando, FL caught the Healing Communities vision at the conference. Gretchen immediately returned home to introduce the model to other churches that had demonstrated a desire to serve the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and their families. Approximately 20 churches and ministries have met to be trained for implementing the Healing Communities Model in the Orlando area. CAPA’s President, Joseph Williams traveled to Orlando in February to facilitate a Healing Communities training.

Rev. Carmen Warner-Robbins, President and Founder of Welcome Home Ministries in San Diego, CA also realized the great need for Healing Communities to be implemented within the churches in the San Diego area. Carmen and other Welcome Home leaders have met with Dr. Trulear and Mr. Williams to create a strategy for Healing Communities in the San Diego area that will include five locations in and around San Diego. A church near to a local jail has agreed to be the pilot church throughout the planning process. In addition, the County District Attorney’s office has generated support and encouragement of this program.