Earlier this week, Health Commission Dr. Leana Wen, U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) representative Melodye Watson, and BCHD Youth Health and Wellness Coordinator Andy Masters joined dozens of community members in the Penn-North to discuss how a newly awarded five-year, $5 million ReCAST grant will help change the way we view our communities and how others view Baltimore.

Through this grant, BCHD and a Community Board, consisting of peer-elected resident representatives, will empower community organizations from West Baltimore to implement high-quality, trauma-informed services to promote connectedness and resilience in youth.

Dr. Wen explained that ReCAST is such a special grant because it stipulates that the community must be involved with the development of trauma and mental health programs. Residents of the served neighborhoods will work with one another, BCHD, and other ReCAST grant partners in order to find solutions from the ground up which will help their neighborhoods heal. 

We look forward to helping build stronger and healthier communities in our great city!

Check out some of the photos from our community meeting.