WHAT IS THE FIPS GROUP?
Our Mission
Our mission is to address the lingering and persistent psychological and emotional impact of incarceration, called Post-incarceration Syndrome (PICS). We do this by establishing support networks among brothers and sisters who have also returned home.
Who We Are
Formerly Incarcerated Peer Support (FIPS) Group meets twice a month to provide a space for people re-entering.
Our meetings give us time to gather and share our experiences of coming home. Together, we discuss the details and challenges of everyday life after incarceration. We know how important it is to connect with one another. We can overcome the stigma and psychological damage dealt to us by incarceration.
What We Do
Where We're Going
Where We're Going
- Provide a positive and safe environment
- Motivate, uplift, and empower one another
- Reflect on our experiences and how to cope with the impacts of incarceration
- Assess our strengths and our struggles in overcoming the long term effects of incarceration
- Discuss helpful resources with one another, and the challenges that go along with accessing those resources
- Share strategies for success
Where We're Going
Where We're Going
Where We're Going
- Addressing the mental and behavioral struggles that stem from incarceration
- Adopting coping strategies that promote a healthy and positive lifestyle
- Building a community and network with those who have similar experiences
- Communicating and validating our stories to educate peers, friends, family and the public
- Building a vocabulary to express the psychological experience of incarceration to others
- Creating a new model for reentry informed by those who’ve gone through the process themselves