With so much talk about decriminalizing drugs like marijuana and not prosecuting low-level drug offenders, what options are available to get people into recovery programs? In this episode of 2 BMore, host T.J. Smith talks through those options with Bernard Gyebi-Foster, the executive director of Tuerk House.
T.J. Smith is a retired police commander, former chief spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department, former press secretary for the Baltimore County Executive, and a former Baltimore City mayoral candidate. More recently, Smith partnered with Jimmy’s Famous Fund where he assisted in raising more than $600,000 over the past year that was donated to small restaurants in Baltimore, children for a holiday experience, and the families of a police officer and firefighters killed in the line of duty. In addition to hosting the 2Bmore Podcast, Smith consults on government, leadership, and law enforcement issues. He is also a frequent guest on a national news outlet and TV One network programming.
Bernard Gyebi-Foster is trained as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LPC). He completed his undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. He continued his education at Liberty University to complete his graduate degree in Professional Counseling, and is currently pursuing an MBA in Leadership from Regent University.
In 2011, Mr. Gyebi-Foster became the clinical director of Tuerk House. In November of 2016, he became the interim executive director, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the agency. In March of 2017, he became the permanent executive director of Tuerk House.
When he is not immersed in finding ways to combat the debilitating disease of addiction, he serves as the pastor of Impact for Christ Community Church, a neighborhood church he founded in Edmondson Village in 2016. He is married to Juliet Gyebi-Foster, MD, an anesthesiologist-trained pain physician. Together, the couple has three beautiful children.
