Jami Hicks-Townes

Medical Director

My Story

Throughout my undergraduate years in New York, I took a job working with adolescents and teens, aware of the surrounding issues,yet struggling to pinpoint the root causes due to the stigma that prevented open conversations about mental health. After graduating from Morgan State, I began my career with adolescent males at a psychiatric residential facility in Baltimore while also enrolling in nursing school. Upon completing my degree, I transitioned into a nursing role in the Neuro ICU, eventually rising to the position of Director of Nursing. I opted to work part-time in the ICU, dedicating my full time to the residential psychiatric center for adolescent males, where I found inspiration in my mentor, the medical director and psychiatrist. My mentor's support, coupled with a personal tragedy involving a friend who was unable to access essential services, fueled my passion for enhancing mental health. This motivated me to raise awareness and encourage others to seek help without fear of judgment. Although I initially earned my first master's degree in acute care, I discovered it unfulfilling and subsequently pursued a second master's in psychiatry. Now, as a doctoral candidate, my goal is to improve treatment and remission rates, ensuring that individuals feel safe and heard through holistic care. We are in it together,  and together, we can create meaningful change.