Just over four years ago, Gina Bois was living on the fringe of society. Struggling with homelessness and a substance use disorder, she had an even more urgent problem, one that led her to seek help and change her life.
“I was 36 weeks pregnant and desperate for a safe place to have my baby,” she said.
Bois turned to the Phoenix Center, Greenville County’s local provider of substance use disorder treatment. There she found a path to recovery — and parenting. Programs offered by the Phoenix Center and The Family Effect extend beyond physical treatment and include assistance with housing, legal matters and job training. For Bois, the residential facility for women and children marked a significant transition.
“Serenity Place saved my life,” Bois said. “It’s unique in that young children can stay there with their mothers. It’s a structured program, dealing with the mother’s addiction and taking steps to heal the whole family.”
Sponsors of The Family Effect get to hear many of those families’ stories each year at the annual Transformation Celebration (formerly known as the Transformation Breakfast), an event coordinated by its graduates. Bois was already attending planning committee meetings when she noticed another group meeting in the facility: The Family Effect Board of Directors. She asked CEO Rebecca Maddox how people become board members, and soon, she became the first person to complete the program and take a seat on the board. On April 28, Bois will also take the stage at the celebration to share how it all happened.
After giving birth, Bois continued to receive treatment while her baby was in foster care. Eventually, she and Grace, now 4, were reunited, and Bois is in school, majoring in psychology and minoring in addiction recovery. Looking to the future, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in human services. Her ultimate goal is to work with mothers in crisis.
“Obviously, it’s a very stigmatized topic — pregnant women and substance abuse. When you’re in active addiction, you don’t know how to be a mom,” Bois said. “I’m happy to talk about the program and show that it really does work. For the women who are still there, I’d like to be their voice and to spread the word about the incredible resources we have in our community.”
