Baltimore, MD (January 20, 2024) — Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST) has received a $25,000 grant from The Leonard & Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation. This funding will enable BPDBST to expand its peer support groups and provide essential training and supervision for individuals pursuing their Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) certification in Maryland. These efforts are crucial for promoting mental health equity and growing our organization.
BPDBST’s peer support groups create safe, culturally affirming spaces where Black individuals with lived experience can connect, heal, and find hope. Currently, the groups are held once a month. Our organization will be offered bi-weekly, supporting a total of 60 participants annually. Additionally, we will provide educational training for 100 peer recovery specialists to earn continuing education units (CEUs) and offer supervision to two peers, further strengthening the peer support workforce.
“As a CPRS, I am excited to contribute to the growth of Maryland’s peer workforce by providing training for those pursuing certification and expanding our support groups,” said T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CRPS, RPS, executive director and co-founder of BPDBST. “Many participants have described our groups as a lifeline, offering connection and hope during their darkest moments. We are grateful to The Leonard & Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation for their generous support and partnership.”
This grant marks a significant step forward in BPDBST’s mission to create impactful programs and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health within the Black community. By expanding peer support services, BPDBST continues to empower individuals and promote recovery.
“The Stulman Foundation is concerned about mental health issues and suicide rates, and appreciates the work of Black People Die By Suicide Too to address them. We’re particularly interested in BPDBST’s expansion of the peer support workforce as a way to bring mental health support to more people in Maryland,” said Cathy Brill, executive director of The Leonard & Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation.
For more information about BPDBST and its programs, please visit https://blackpeoplediebysuicidetoo.org/. Applications are forthcoming for individuals seeking supervision, CEUs, peer service hours, and financial support completing the certified peer recovery specialist (CPRS) exam.
About Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST): BPDBST is a peer-led organization dedicated to normalizing the conversation about suicide in the Black community. BPDBST provides education and resources that instill hope in Black people suffering from mental health conditions. Our vision is to end suicide in the Black community.
About Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Foundation: The Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Foundation supports innovative programs addressing health, mental health, and aging in Maryland.
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