33 mug shots later, Grand Rapids woman transformed through mental health court
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Kelly Palmer couldn't hold back her tears.
"I cannot believe I finally did this," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "Thank you."
Palmer was speaking before 60 or so people who'd gathered for a graduation celebration at a building on Grand Rapids' northeast side.
But this was no ordinary grad party.
Palmer was one of five people recognized Thursday afternoon for successfully completing Kent County's Treatment and Support Court, or TASC.
To understand the gravity of this moment in Palmer's life, you must know what preceded it.
"With 34 felonies under my belt," Palmer explained, "and being inside the Kent County jail 401 times, I have 33 mug shots."
In 2022, Palmer, now 56, was facing seven to 20 years in prison for drug possession.
But Kent County offered her an alternative: She could participate in TASC, a specialty court for defendants with serious mental illnesses and, in some cases, substance use disorders.
It's a rigorous program that requires, among other demands, three drug tests a week initially, weekly reviews, ongoing treatment, compliance with bond and probation conditions and completion of wellness and recovery, cognitive behavior therapy and Seeking Safety groups.
Palmer told News 8 she was diagnosed as a teenager with mild intellectual disability, paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It was a life of abuse from the start.
Palmer said she was sexually assaulted at 4 years old, left home at 14 and spent nearly three decades working the streets of Grand Rapids.
"Allow me to re-introduce myself," Palmer declared to the gathering after receiving her certificate of completion Thursday. "My name is Miss Kelly Palmer. (I) once was suffering from prostitution and crack cocaine addiction, and I will never forget them dark places or where I came from. There were times I wanted to give up, but I thought about those dark places."
Later, Palmer explained to News 8 why she felt the need to reintroduce herself.
"For me, growing from animal-level living, living on the street until now, it's a whole different me. My name is Kelly Palmer, not 'buck naked,' my street name. That's a b—- you don't want to come across. Here's what you get now: I respect people. It matters to me if you're having a bad day. 'How are you feeling? Do you need to talk? Do you need a minute? Wanna color? Wanna go for a walk?'"
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Palmer credits the Lord for her transformation, as well as the many professionals who walked the journey with her.
In her speech Thursday, she thanked her former parole agent Christine Witters, Harbor House, The Women's Resource Center, Family Outreach, Sacred Beginnings and Grand Rapids police.
"Kaitlin Bernardo, Grand Rapids PD, the same person who used to bump heads with me in Burton Heights," said Palmer with a nod to Bernardo, who was sitting at Palmer's table.
But Palmer said her biggest influence is Leslie King, founder of Sacred Beginnings, a survivor-led nonprofit renowned for its street outreach, support services and transitional housing.
"I didn't get this far mentally, spiritually and physically without the help of Leslie King. That's who guided me. That's who taught me. I will say in closing, it started with her, and it's going to end with her."
Palmer, who said she'll live at Sacred Beginnings for another year, has found new purpose in her recovery.
"God has a plan and a purpose for me," said Palmer. "To give back to the community and say, 'Hey, let me be a beacon of light to you people. If I can do it, anybody can.' It's the difference between living and existing, and I choose to live today."
Kent County Circuit Court Judge Joe Rossi, who presides over the specialty court, presented Palmer with her certificate of completion.
"First, Kelly, I want to talk about you and why I'm so proud to see you graduate today," began Rossi. "When you came through the door that first day, Kelly, you were looking at so many challenges....There were bumps in the road, there were positive drops, there were job losses, housing changes, every challenge that you can imagine, but you overcame it. That came from your inner light."
Rossi told News 8 that mental health court has given him new perspective on the unique challenges participants face and how they impact criminal behavior.
He refused to take credit for the program's successes.
"In many respects, I'm a black-robed cheerleader sitting up there on the bench," explained Rossi. "My clinical staff, who are professionals from Network180, along with all those working at those community agencies, they're the ones that provide the structure and, of course, the participants themselves. They're the ones that really put in the work."
Treatment and Support Court, which accepted its first participants in 2018, has celebrated 60 graduations so far, with another 32 defendants still actively participating.
TASC has accepted 153 people in total, which puts its current success rate at 63%, according to Teri Clark, TASC coordinator.
