LifeBridge Health Launches Innovative New Center for Hope, Comprehensive Violence Intervention and Prevention Services Integrated Together Under One Roof
Baltimore, MD - (November 12, 2020) LifeBridge Health today launched the Center for Hope, the first comprehensive violence intervention and prevention center in the nation that is part of a large regional health system. To celebrate the launch, LifeBridge Health held a socially distanced ceremonial groundbreaking for the Center for Hope's new building, the first facility to be built on Sinai Hospital's expanded campus, located next to the Pimlico Race Course. 
"This comprehensive violence intervention center brings together LifeBridge Health services around child abuse, domestic abuse and elder abuse along with community violence prevention programs, including a new Safe Streets site," says Neil Meltzer, president and CEO of LifeBridge Health. "We are bringing these services together to provide a safe haven for individuals of all ages who have been traumatized and are in need of help and resources as they begin their journey of healing."
He adds, "We believe it is particularly appropriate that the Center for Hope will be the first facility we build on our expanded Sinai Hospital campus. In addition to the center's important mission of providing healing and hope for those in need, we also hope it will benefit the Park Heights community as a catalyst for economic development and investment in the area."
The Center for Hope and development of the Sinai Hospital expanded campus have been of interest to many in the community, the city and the state. State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg spoke at the groundbreaking with recorded remarks from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Congressman John Sarbanes and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger.
"This groundbreaking is the culmination of years of work to create a comprehensive violence and intervention program for the greater community. The purpose of the Center for Hope is straightforward: advancing hope, healing and resilience for those impacted by trauma, abuse and violence through comprehensive response, treatment, education and prevention," explains Adam Rosenberg, LifeBridge Health's vice president of violence intervention and prevention.
CENTER FOR HOPE
The new Center for Hope will address violence affecting people of all ages. The Center will merge LifeBridge Health's community violence programming into one location. It will include:
Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC), Baltimore's nationally accredited child advocacy center
The domestic violence hospital response program at Sinai and the DOVE program at Northwest Hospital, one of the first hospital-based domestic violence programs in Maryland
The Kujichagulia Center, which includes the Street Violence Intervention Program and a Working Life Skills Readiness program
A new Safe Streets site in the Belvedere/ Park Heights neighborhood
An elder justice program
LifeBridge Health has created a center for excellence that will use best practices and a new response model to prevent viol