The black mental health alliance (bhma) will use credible messengers to engage residents on the corners of the open air drug markets and in hotspots for violent crime to offer violence prevention…

The Black Mental Health Alliance (BMHA) was awarded a $1.5 million Project Grant from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) program. The grant will fund BMHA and two subawardees, the University of Maryland School of Social Work and HeartsMiles, to deliver violence prevention and mental health services in the Upton/Druid Heights neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025.

Specifically, BMHA and its subawardees will use credible messengers to engage residents at locations with open air drug markets and high violent crime rates. Services provided will include violence prevention messaging, intervention and mental health services, youth entrepreneurship training, case management, and community events. The goal is to reduce and prevent violent crime and promote community healing in the target neighborhood. It is expected that these efforts will decrease reported crimes and increase social cohesion in the community as measured by event attendance. BMHA will be allocated $439,619 directly and the subawardees will receive $429,500 and $280,800 respectively.

Expected outcomes

1) a decrease in crime and violence as measured by a reduction in reported crimes; and 2) increased social cohesion as evidenced by increased attendance at community events. Service area: the upton/druid heights neighborhood of baltimore city, MD (ZIP code 21217).

Intended beneficiaries

The residents of upton/druid heights, particularly those at high risk of involvement in violent crime and criminal activity. Proposed subrecipients are: 1) the university of maryland school of social work; 2) heartsmiles; and 3) the peace team. Bmha is seeking priority consideration under priorities 1(b) and 2. The applicant and two subawardees are culturally specific organizations serving the black community in upton/druid heights. A total of 76.3% of the requested funds will be allocated to culturally specific organizations. Of the total funds requested $1,497,988.16, $439,619 (29%) will be utilized directly by bmha. Sons of phoenix will receive a subaward of $429,500 (28.6%) and heartsmiles will receive a subaward of $280,800 (18.7%). Priority 1(b) is addressed on page 12 of the program narrative. Priority 2 is addressed on pages 5 - 15 of the program narrative, where IT is characterized as violent crime.