Donation to help center provide trauma, grief services for free

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A recent donation to Loyola University’s Clinical Center will bring much-needed help to families experiencing trauma in Baltimore.

The violence that children in Baltimore experience and see can have long-lasting and profound impacts on them.

“It’s been found that adverse childhood events can lead to more serious psychological issues,” said Dr. Katherine Cornell, Loyola University Division Director, Psychology; Clinical Assistant Professor.

According to Dr. Cornell, 56 percent of children in the city have experienced some form of trauma. Fortunately, there is help nearby at the clinical center to help families deal with it.

“This program really specifically is dedicated to seeing children of all ages and their families who have experienced trauma or grief,” said Michelle Mencia, a Loyola graduate student.

The program provides child grief groups, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and workshops on raising healthy kids and violence prevention. And now, thanks to the generous help of a local pharmacy executive, it won’t have to cost families anything to get help.

Thanks to a large donation from Martin Yankellow, the Vice President of Hanover-based Correct Rx Pharmacy Services, Inc.

“We recently got a large donation, which will allow us to waive our fees for all of our services related to, um, childhood trauma and mental wellness, which is really exciting,” Dr. Cornell said.

And the timing couldn’t be better, with high rates of violence continuing in the city during a time when many people need mental health support.

“The pandemic is a time where people more than ever probably need mental health services,” said Emily Fox, a Loyola graduate student.

The clinical, its professors and graduate students remain committed to this trauma care so communities like Baltimore can start to heal.

“We know these experiences we’re going to have to carry the weight of some of these emotions and thoughts that come with those trauma experiences,” Mencia said.

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