Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 MSU School of Social Work Newsletter MSU-Social-Work-2017-2018-Newsletter | Page 14

Interview with Jameca Patrick-Singleton
Jameca Patrick-Singleton received her Master of Social Work degree from MSU with a
concentration in Organization and Community Leadership. Recently, she was hired by the
City of Flint to be the chief recovery officer following the Flint Water Crisis.
What are the responsibilities
of the chief recovery officer
and what has motivated you
to take on such an enormous
responsibility?
The main goal of this position
is to maximize the involvement
of Flint residents in the recovery
and rebuilding of the Flint water
infrastructure and recovery support
services. Also, I will ensure that
community residents are well
informed and engaged in community
dialogue, visioning, and collective
action that advance the city’s
recovery and restores the health and
well-being of its residents.
I was motivated to apply for this
position because, being a lifelong
resident of Flint, I understand the
frustration that the water crisis
caused. I also understand the need
of the residents to have their voices
heard at every level of the recovery process. I was
excited about the possibility of being that liaison. I felt
that I could really make a difference in the lives of my
fellow Flint residents by ensuring that they have not
only a voice but access to information and resources to
help them through the process.
Do you have specific goals that you would
like to accomplish as the chief recovery
officer? What timeframe? What
are the biggest obstacles in
accomplishing your goals?
Yes. One of the first things that
I did when I came aboard was to
create a 90-day plan. That plan
includes meeting with residents
and key community partners to
discuss the needs of the community
as well as the water recovery efforts
that are already taking place. The plan
also includes working with a team of
people to ensure that the logistics of the
water PODS (Points of Distribution Sites) are
worked out so that there are no issues with keeping
four PODS open for the foreseeable future.
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Also working with the ReCast
(Resiliency in Communities After
Stress and Trauma) project will
make sure that the community has
access to programs that promote
trauma-informed care. The last
thing on my 90-day plan is to work
on the Flint Lead Exposure Registry
(FLExR) team. This is the team that
is starting the process of developing
and implementing a Flint Lead
Exposure Registry to ensure that
residents who were exposed have
information regarding how to be
added to the list as well as continued
access to services.
I think that the only major
obstacle that I’ll face in achieving
my goals is that there is so much
information out there right now.
People aren’t sure what and whom
to trust. However, I must admit that
so far, I’ve received a really warm
welcome from the community.
How has your MSW helped to prepare
you for the position?
Oh, my goodness! My MSW has been key to
helping prepare me in this position. In grad school,
my concentration was Organization and Community
Practice, so I gained a unique combination of skills.
I’m able to meet people where they are regardless
of educational and social economic
backgrounds. I also have the ability to
understand systems and process, and
I’m able to relate how those systems
and processes impact people’s
everyday lives.
It is these skills that are helping
me to help the citizens of Flint to
move from crisis to recovery. It is
these skills that allow me to be able
to work with everyone from a citizen
who may need to know where the closest
water pod is located, to local, state, and
federal administrators who may need information
regarding the local impact of a new policy.
Fall 2017/Winter 2018 SSW NEWS