Today we’d like to introduce you to Dwayne L. Jones.
Hi Dwayne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a loving home raised by my grandparents because my mother had me young and needed support. I did not have a relationship with my biological father but I never felt I was missing anything because my Grandfather was my Hero. Although I grew up in a part of town outside of Philadelphia that wasn’t desirable, I thought I had a great childhood experience. My community was very diverse with Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Syrians (Middle Easterners). I actually learned to speak most of the languages of the people I encountered on a day-to-day basis. As you can imagine, in such a diverse community came cultural differences that shaped who I am today.
As in any community, you had your good and bad, and I was able to experience it all, but I am fortunate to have been athletically gifted to keep my attention focused mainly on sports and less on other things. My story is not much unlike others from a community like this. I have friends who have been murdered, as well as friends who have been in prison for murder, drug dealers, drug addicts, white-collar professionals, and blue-collar workers. The opportunity for me to get a scholarship to go to college and play football changed my outcome significantly. Going to Shippensburg University put me in an environment where all the students had the same goal in mind no matter what their diverse backgrounds or experiences were – and that was to graduate. Pledging Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was also life-changing for me. It brought me into a brotherhood and friendships that are a significant part of my life to this day and also greatly shaped the man I’ve become.
After playing four years of college football, I had multiple NFL try-outs that did not end up with me signing, and therefore I graduated in five years with a degree in Public Administration. Ironically, I would get a call from one of my old college friends to come to work back in the Lehigh Valley at a Behavioral Health Organization where I would develop critical skills and build a foundation for the work I do now. In the following ten years, I would travel to large markets like Detroit, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, opening Behavioral Health Programs for private, non-profit, and for-profit organizations.
In 2010, I opened my first Preventive Measures Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. At that time, were located at 2759 MLK Jr. Avenue in Southeast Washington, DC, and served approximately 30-35 children and families. Today, Preventive Measures has nine outpatient and administrative facilities located in 3 states (including DC) and serves over 3000 individuals and families. In 2016, we expanded to build a Home Care Division in Allentown and Philadelphia, PA. By the end of 2022, we’ll launch PM NOW, a mobile app that allows clients to receive therapy services from a licensed mental health provider on a private and convenient mobile platform.
On a deeply personal note, as a man of God and a father, I try to live by applying Biblical principles to both business and day-to-day real life. Both my sons, Devon Lafon and Darius Isaiah Jones, work in the Preventive Measures organization and serve as a constant reminder to me of why I do what I do every day. I pray that I can leave a legacy to them, and their children’s children. as well as to the world.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The start-up process had to be the most arduous process I’ve ever gone through. I had invested a percentage of my income in my last year of employment to open my own consulting business, and although I knew how to open businesses after doing it so many years for other organizations, I did not have the start-up capital to carry myself and a payroll of 4 employees and 6 or 7 contractors. I even remember having to do a title loan to make one of my payrolls and keep the doors open. It was my first Mercedes, and I loved that car, but no more than my passion to serve this community that suffered from mental health issues.
Continuing to meet people where they are took on a whole new meaning when COVID hit. Almost overnight, we were forced to pivot to a telehealth platform, while finding ways to accommodate our clients who had no access to the internet, a smartphone, or even phone service. It took a tremendous amount of creativity and trial and error on the part of my team, but we made it work at a time when people needed mental health and home care services more than ever. The ironic twist is that the things we learned from that pivot positioned us to develop the PM NOW app, which had been a long-time dream of mine.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
“By meeting people where they are, Preventive Measures will prevent out-of-home placement by providing mental health and supportive services to build individuals, families, and communities for abundant living.”
This is our mission statement. Our focus is on awareness, prevention, and helping you move forward to your best life, whatever that looks like for you. Preventive Measures is a CARF Accredited Community Mental Health provider offering individualized services to adults, families, and youth. We have locations in some of the most vulnerable areas, including the Lehigh Valley and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, and near Atlanta, Georgia. We have plans to open in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill NJ in the near future.
Beyond providing services, Preventive Measures is deeply rooted in uplifting and supporting our communities. Recently, we created a non-profit Foundation to support education and certification in key areas. These initiatives include but are not limited to scholarships at credentialed universities and trade schools, athletic/recreational community programs, leadership development, and the building of individuals, families, and communities. Presently, we offer the PM Legacy Scholarship Program for individuals pursuing a degree in the field of Human Services. Individuals can find more information and apply here: https://
Preventive Measures aspires to have a global footprint as we recognize that mental health is just not a problem that exists in the United States, but everywhere. We are developing future technology that will reach global markets, and assist communities across the world, furthering the mission to meet people where they are.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I like the fact that Atlanta is a diverse city with a lot to do and offer to professionals, but I hate the traffic.
Pricing:
- We accept several different types of health insurance. We also have a convenient self-pay service that gives the client more control of their mental journey called PM MyWay.
- Individual Consultation $175
- Individual Therapy $125
- Couples Therapy $150
- Family Therapy $165
Contact Info:
- Website: www.preventivemeasuresinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preventivemeasuresinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preventivemeasuresinc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe-pCx0BSFiLCeMetSqeU-g/videos
- Other: www.pmnowapp.com
Image Credits
Personal Photo – Dwayne Speaking at Leadership Retreat – photo by Design by Valentine, LLC Additional Photos. 1. Dwayne Jones Headshot – photo by Design by Valentine, LLC 2. Dwayne & Sons – photo by Carter McKinney, The McKinney Media Team (Darius Jones, Director of Operations | PM NOW & PM MyWay, Dwayne Jones, CEO, Devon Jones, Controller) 3. Dwayne Speaking at Leadership Retreat2 – photo by Design by Valentine, LLC 4. Dwayne & Coty Martin – cell phone pic – Dwayne Jones & Coty Martin, Founder/President of Adversity University 5. #itsOK MetroBus – cell phone pic 6. DJ at ATL Women’s Expo – cell phone pic 7. Dwayne – End the Stigma – cell phone pic 8. PM Legacy Scholarship 9. Leader Retreat Dinner – cell phone pic (Harvie Oliver, VP of HR & Compliance; Dwayne Jones, CEO; Robin McCrear, Executive Assistant; Erin Harris, CFO; Anthony Thompson, VP of Programs & Services; Dr. Kristen Matthews, Clinical Director) 10. Harvie & DJ – photo by Carter McKinney, The McKinney Media Team (Harvie Oliver, III, VP of HR & Compliance, Dwayne Jones, CEO) 11. Dwayne Smiling – photo by Carter McKinney, The McKinney Media Team
