The SNF Supports Johns Hopkins University East Baltimore Community Trauma Response Program

Two men and a women at John Hopkins University smile at the camera

Source: Johns Hopkins University

On November 21st, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health announced a $1.6 million dollar grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to collaborate with Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and community partners to implement and expand services in East Baltimore for survivors of violence.

The East Baltimore Community Trauma Response initiative is a response to the community’s request to provide survivors of violence and other traumas with more support and services that promote healing. The grant will enable Johns Hopkins Hospital to better integrate its work with the efforts of community collaborators, decrease the time between incident and response, and increase the capacity of community institutions to support healing and become more trauma-informed and trauma-responsive.

By leveraging the existing partnerships with local faith groups, schools, community organizations, social service providers and city, state and federal agencies, the SNF grant will help the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions implement a comprehensive response to the extensive trauma experienced by children, youth and families in East Baltimore.

Recently the project team facilitated trauma training for 29 school-based mental health workers, including Baltimore City Public School psychologists and social workers. In addition, the initiative is working with the Chaplains Program at The Johns Hopkins Hospital to better prepare its trainees and staff to deal with trauma.

“At the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, we are very proud to be supporting this effort by Johns Hopkins to bridge the gap in care for survivors of violence and trauma,” said Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the SNF. “Timely and holistic support constitutes a critical first step in the healing process for individuals and their communities.”

“We’re extraordinarily grateful for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s commitment to our city and its enduring partnership with Johns Hopkins,” said Johns Hopkins President, Ronald J. Daniels. “This timely initiative has the potential to make an immediate impact on our neighborhoods and our neighbors’ lives, as well as serving as a national model for partnership between communities and institutions as we seek to meet a shared need to care for people affected by trauma.”