Roca is requesting $400,000 over two years in support to pilot roca baltimore is proposing the south baltimore peacemaking project (SBPP) in partnership with BPD and sagamore development

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded Roca Inc. a $400,000 two-year Project Grant under the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753). The grant will support Roca Baltimore's South Baltimore Peacemaking Project in partnership with the Baltimore Police Department and Sagamore Development.

Roca Baltimore will expand its post-shooting protocol to engage high-risk individuals ages 16 to 24 in the Southern District of Baltimore who have been victims of or involved in shootings. The organization will identify 35 to 50 young men for intensive intervention services and transitional employment support. It will train partners on trauma-informed approaches and peacemaking circles. Roca will also coordinate a community partner hub and support network for 100 high-risk families annually. The goal is to improve public safety outcomes and provide an employment pathway for those most impacted by violence and unemployment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through a combination of violence intervention work with high-risk young people and systems change work with our criminal justice partners, this project will substantially improve public safety and create an onramp to employment for the community's highest risk young men, who are experiencing increased levels of violence, trauma, and unemployment in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. Roca baltimore will expand our after shooting protocol, which we have successfully piloted in the eastern district of baltimore. This protocol includes a daily review of the homicide and non-fatal shooting list from the baltimore police department and the state; communication with appropriate majors, DJS and P & P; communication with johns hopkins hospital team; communication with safe streets when appropriate; a door knock with an offer of assistance to the young person and/or his family; enrollment in roca baltimore or referral to other program depending on risk level; follow-up with assistance; and documentation of all efforts, contacts and follow-up. In addition to making 24-48-hour door knocks for any non-fatal shooting victim in the district, and any follow-up related to a homicide, we will engage with any young men 16-to-24 years old who may be of concern to the BPD southern district as well as any individuals who are being released from detention and living in the district. Through this work, roca will identify and intensively serve 35-50 young men in roca's intervention model and will engage at least 30 of these young people in transitional employment and support them as they work towards unsubsidized employment. To support our systemic change goals, roca will train police and community partners on trauma, brain science and two methodologies for healing and communication-CBT and peacemaking circles. Roca will also build police and community partnerships and implement a hub that will coordinate our community partners and provide our families at the most elevated levels of risk with the support they need (both in services and resources) to make and sustain real change, supporting a minimum of 100 families each year. Additionally, roca will offer training in CBT, peacemaking circles and the development of a public safety planning group with the command staff and officers at the baltimore police department southern district and community partners like sagamore.