Dr. Patrice Palmer is an innovative social justice advocate, author, and independent consultant at Chosen4Change, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring about therapeutic measures, through a holistic approach for both the families and individuals who are incarcerated or reentering back into society. Dr. Palmer is a Grief Recovery Method Specialist. My journey to this work was through seeing a lot of people suffering from unresolved trauma and incomplete conversation with their losses. Dr. Palmer presently works for Growth Empowerment Mental Health Services as a Program Developer and Director working with youth. Dr. Palmer formerly worked at the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs as a Reentry Support Specialist and Lead Facilitator for the Pathways Achieving Recovery by Choice Program. She provided direct services to high-risk, dual-diagnosis women reentering the community from the Franklin County Correctional Center II. Through out-of-the-box thinking and personal experiences, Dr. Palmer, through her extensive employment over the past 20 years, has been able to lead her team and jump hurdles on both programmatic and administrative levels.
Dr. Palmer was the founding Therapeutic Communities Program Director at Chillicothe’s Correctional Institute, where she worked with male inmates who had a history of criminal-genic behaviors and substance abuse disorders. Dr. Palmer was the Operations Manager for NISRE, Inc., overseeing operations of a transitional program assisting individuals reentering society with housing and supportive services.
In addition to her work, Dr. Palmer spends her time volunteering with those affected by criminal justice involvement, abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, grief, and trauma. She utilizes the Peace Love, art workshop programs to address mental wellness and have safe conversations about mental health. She is 2nd person to become a Certified Creator in the State of Ohio. She is certified in both mental health coaching for faith communities and grief recovery methods. Program Developer for C4C, the former President of Raising the Bar Prison Ministries, and a keynote speaker at the Ohio Recovery Housing Conference.
Dr. Palmer is leading the way in helping her community. In 2023 she was selected as a YWCA Women of Achievement, in 2022 named the National Social Worker of the Year. In 2022 Recipient of the Dr. Kevin Dixon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Award. In 2021 she was named the Ohio Social Worker of the Year, and in 2019 she was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame at The Ohio State University College of Social Work as the RECENT CAREER AWARD Recipient. She was honored by Cincinnati State Technical and Community College as the Distinguished Alumni of the Year. In 2019 she was appointed to the board of the Ohio Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition.
In 2016 Dr. Palmer was the recipient of President Barack Obama Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and the Jerry Revish Restored Citizen of the Year. Her compassion, strength, and perseverance are noteworthy, and her desire to empower those affected by incarceration and give hope that brighter days are ahead by improving their circumstances is certainly worth honoring.
Dr. Palmer states her work is a mandate from God to break the cycle of self-abuse one life at a time beginning with her own. “If we can restore the value, dignity, and worth of a person, we return a more productive citizen into society.”
Dr. Palmer resides in Canal Winchester, Ohio