Lincoln Charter School is planning to open a community trauma center next spring to support families in the wake of the pandemic and to bolster York City's West End.
Though the idea is not new, Anne Clark, Lincoln's director of community outreach, said the COVID-19 pandemic created even more of a sense of urgency.
“Almost everybody has trauma,” Clark said, and the March shutdowns for businesses and schools put that more into context, as families struggled with isolation, financial strain and home life.
The center would act as one-stop shop for anything families would need, from trauma-informed care to resources for economic support, behavioral health services and child welfare services, to name a few, Clark said.
More: York Hospital's trauma center reaccredited at top level
Thanks to numerous donations to help families affected by a recent hotel fire, Clark said a food pantry and clothing pantry are set to open in the next couple of weeks.
Both the pantries and the center will be at 459 W. King St., a building Lincoln is leasing for its potential expansion. If a sixth grade class is approved, those students would have a separate entrance.
In a meeting July 27, Lincoln officials and community leaders discussed what were the most pressing needs in the area, and a big one was support services for reentry to the community after incarceration.
Another need, which Lincoln's principal and CEO Leonard Hart hopes to address, is building a infrastructure for those without internet access.
More: Lincoln submits charter renewal application, wants to add middle school grades
During school especially, families run into situations where multiple people are trying to use a hotspot and end up having to increase data plans or forgo other bills, Clark said.
Gov. Tom Wolf on July 27 announced his plan to make Pennsylvania a trauma-informed state — and part of that included connecting services through grassroots movements and highlighting public schools as a central place to reach the state’s children and their families.
"Schools are a really excellent place to provide wellness care," said Anne Gray, community representative for the leadership committees of York County System of Care, a multi-system partnership that works with youth.
And family needs only increased during the pandemic, Hart said, noting the rise in food distribution as the months wore on.
What started as a few hundred meals for students quickly expanded to 500 or 600 for those in the surrounding community, along with deliveries to hotels serving the homeless, he said.
Hart said he's had recurring conversations since the pandemic with adults who are finding themselves in tough situations, such as a father who recently lost his job.
"It’s degrading — was the word I think he used — to come in and ask for food when I’ve always been a provider," Hart said the man told him.
A lot of people are dealing with trauma and don't see that until they're in a safe space, Clark said, so the plan is to have the center be that space.
Akilah Hawkins, who is on the board for Hope Street Learning Lab and president of Lincoln's parent advisory committee, said she's seen people recognize their own trauma after hearing others' experiences.
"It shocked them that they actually had been dealing with trauma," she said.
Lincoln's trauma center would be open to anyone seeking services, but particularly York City's west end — in which students will help do geomapping over the next few months to see what services are available and needed.
Steve Beck, of the nonprofit Geographic Information Systems Consulting, is working with the school through the Geomentor for Educators program so they can track and log service providers.
They all hope to map more neighborhoods and create a network for the community.
Officials are seeking organizations to partner with for the trauma center, and they will be holding community meetings throughout the school year, on Dec. 15, March 16 and June 22.
"center" - Google News
August 10, 2020 at 04:06AM
https://ift.tt/3gJQFZt
Lincoln Charter plans to open community trauma center amid COVID-19 struggles - York Dispatch
"center" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bUHym8
https://ift.tt/2zR6ugj
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Lincoln Charter plans to open community trauma center amid COVID-19 struggles - York Dispatch"
Post a Comment