While most students begin their work in the behavioral health field after graduation, Tanisha Palmer came to Community College of Philadelphia with a wealth of wisdom and experience. As a community wellness specialist for the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Tanisha has witnessed firsthand how addiction, homelessness, and hunger stem from circumstances unfolding all around us. 

 Using the College’s Behavioral Health and Human Services program and a seat on the department’s Student Advisory Board to inform her understanding of human behavior and culture, Tanisha is deepening her ability to support individuals in crisis and advocate for the needs of underserved communities. Working primarily in Strawberry Mansion and Delaware County, Tanisha engages directly with people in need, connecting them with Department of Behavioral Health resources including expungement clinics, food banks, and free re-entry training programs. 

“Have you ever been down there in Kensington?” Tanisha asked. “When I go down there, I don’t see the drug use or the homelessness. I see people seeking help, who don’t have the resources they need.” 

Her own triumph over addiction is what helps Tanisha understand how trauma and circumstance can  drive anyone toward substance abuse. When her seven-year-old son, Cherron Eric Lee Crews, was murdered in a hit-and-run back in 2007, she turned to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism.  

“[My issues] started from socially drinking, then something out of the norm happened,” Tanisha described. “I was the only person in my family that ever experienced something like that... I suppressed everything because I couldn’t really internalize it... it was so heavy.” 

Now, Tanisha has now been sober for 10 years and works with other women who have shared a similar loss through her organization, In the Eyes of Grieving Mothers. Through support groups, activities, parenting and life skills classes, and addiction recovery support, Tanisha provides a place where grieving mothers can find companionship, guidance, and resources to help them get back on their feet. 

As a working mother and part-time student,  Tanisha says she appreciates that faculty treat students as humans first and without stigma. “They support individuals who are in recovery with lived experience. There’s no judgment here, and they’re very observant. I was in burnout mode the other day, and I shared that with my professor, and she was like, ‘Just do whatever you need to do for your self-care.’ In other schools, you don’t get that.” 

Looking ahead, Tanisha is committed to furthering her education and plans to pursue a doctorate in behavioral health. She hopes to use her advanced degree to understand the effects of substance abuse across different cultures and continue advocating for those in need. Her journey is a testament to the power of education, resilience, and the drive to make a meaningful impact.