By Coppin State University
Coppin State University President Anthony L. Jenkins, Ph.D. joined Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby, and other local, state, and community leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking for the KEYS Community Healing Village – a center that will provide mental and behavioral health support, meals, and additional resources to members of the community in West Baltimore.
Coppin State University helped secure $1.25 million in funding to support the KEYS Community Healing Village through the SEED Community Development Anchor Institution Fund, through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The fund provides grants and loans to anchor institutions like Coppin State University, for community development projects in blighted areas of the state.
“As we mark May as Mental Health Awareness Month, it is critical that we address the lack of mental health and other support services that can make a difference in the quality of life and outcomes of people living here in West Baltimore,” said President Jenkins. “KEYS Community Healing Village is needed now more than ever, as we consider the generational trauma that can come from and continues to perpetuate violence and poverty in parts of Baltimore. Coppin State University is excited to serve as a partner for the KEYS Community Healing Village that will bring more health care resources, healing, and hope to our community.”
Coppin State University is a partner in this initiative, with plans for the University’s faculty and students to provide several services and resources once the center opens in Fall 2024.
This includes providing mental health services through the department of Psychology, Counseling, and Behavioral Health; providing financial literacy workshops to promote economic empowerment and positive financial well-being; and utilizing faculty and students from the Helene Fuld School of Nursing to provide lessons and resources related to health and nutrition.
The goal is to increase access to services and resources to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the community, while also providing real-world experience and growth opportunities for Coppin State University students.
“Many of our students come from communities across Baltimore City,” added President Jenkins. “The expectation at Coppin State University is that they will use what they are learning to invest in this community. That work begins before they walk across the stage to receive their diploma.”
The site for KEYS Community Healing Village is less than one mile from the Coppin State University Campus and within the area the West North Avenue Development Authority is focused on as part of its effort to bring economic opportunity and strategic investment to Baltimore. President Jenkins chairs the Authority, which brings together state, local, and community partners to develop a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy for the West North Avenue Corridor in Baltimore.
