Ronald Williams narrates his early life in a West Indian neighborhood in Harlem and his pathway to substance abuse, incarceration, and, eventually the Morris Bernstein Institute. He describes leaving the Institute with a group of addicts to found Phoenix House. He gives particular attention to the therapeutic community method as it was conceived during Phoenix House's initial stages, and its predec essors. Williams also speaks on Phoenix House's importing of Synanon personnel, and that strategy's effect on the organization
Therapeutic communities; Substance abuse--Treatment; Drug abuse--Treatment--United States; Drug addicts--Rehabilitation--United States; Imprisonment--United States; Harlem (New York, N.Y.); Williams, Ronald (Substance abuse counselor); Phoenix House (Organization); Synanon (Foundation)
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2014
Physical Description
109 pages
Note (Biographical)
Ronald Williams is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stay'n Out. In 1967, he, along with five former addicts, left the detoxification unit of Morris Bernstein Institute (now Beth Israel), moved into 205 West 85th Street and started what would become Phoenix House. He is the author of the Phoenix House philosophy still read today. Williams has continued to develop and work with the therapeutic community approach pioneered at the Phoenix House and is a leader in the field (particularly in prisons)
Note
Interviewed by Kristin L. Murphy on July 17, 2014
Note (Provenance)
Ronald Williams, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2016