Jennifer came to the CLP at age 17, in 2007. Before arriving, Jennifer’s home life was anything but stable. Her mother was a drug addict and alcoholic, was in and out of prison, leaving Jennifer to bounce from family member, to foster home, to family member until the age of 17. Unfortunately, family members offered no security for Jennifer. From ages 8-10, she was severely beaten and raped by her biological father on a consistent basis. From ages 11-14, she was raped by her step father several times. She also watched helplessly as he molested her 3 and 4 year old siblings. Jennifer’s relationship with her mother is severely strained as, to this day, she and other family members accuse Jennifer of inviting and enjoying the terrible abuse she endured at the hands of her step father. Jenniefer had lived in 21 different places before moving to the CLP. She left her last home after a care provider threw a clothes iron at her head. She came to the CLP struggling in high school, experiencing severe memory problems and uncontrolled depression and PTSD. She also had extreme difficulty getting along with her peers.While at the CLP, Jennifer was able to learn to control the symptoms of her depression and PTSD through medication adherence, therapy sessions, support groups and journaling assignments. She also gained interpersonal skills through participation in Problem Solving Groups with her housemates. Jennifer’s memory has improved and she keeps a personal calendar to remember important personal information. Jennifer graduated from High School in 2008 and has attended some college. Jennifer blossomed during the last year of her stay. She identified a strong interest in working with children and has been and outstanding volunteer with the Early Head Start Program as a Teacher’s Aide. Jennifer has set her sites on a career in this field. In September 2010, Jennifer moved into her own apartment with a savings of over $3,000. She is prepared and excited for a new chapter in her life and remains involved with her family at NYEP.