1

 

B’MORE FOR YOUTH!

COLLABORATIVE

 

Baltimore City’s 

Plan to Prevent 

Violence 

Affecting Youth

September 30, 2015
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For more information and additional materials related to the B’More for Youth! Collaborative: 

Baltimore City’s Plan to Prevent Violence Affecting Youth, please contact:

Lewis Smith

Director, Office of Youth Violence Prevention

Baltimore City Health Department

1001 E. Fayette Street

Baltimore, MD 21202

(410) 396-7512

bmoreyvp@baltimorecity.gov

http://health.baltimorecity.gov/programs/violence-prevention
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September 30, 2015

Dear Residents of Baltimore,

I am pleased to introduce the B’more for Youth Collaborative!, the City of 

Baltimore’s comprehensive plan to prevent violence affecting youth and reduce 

the number of people going into the criminal justice system. It is the product of 

collaboration among local, state, and federal partners, and identifies root 

causes and recommends a coordinated, multi-sector, multi-tiered approach. 

Improving the lives of Baltimore’s children, youth, and families is a central 

priority of my administration. For too long, senseless violence has taken the 

lives of too many of our young people under the age of 25. We know that we cannot 

fundamentally improve their lives if they are not safe – in their homes, schools, 

neighborhoods, and in our city. That is why I called for this plan. B’more for Youth! is our plan

for the future. It reflects our vision that all young people in Baltimore City are valued and 

protected in thriving communities and a safe city, where there is an abundance of 

opportunities for young people to dream and to realize their dreams.

The goals of this plan are to ensure that:

1. Early childhood is safe and nurturing; 

2. Families are supported, connected and empowered; 

3. All young people are connected to a trusted adult; 

4. Neighborhoods engage young people in positive opportunities; and, 

5. People and neighborhoods have economic opportunities.

The plan reflects thoughtful and strategic efforts to align with my Children’s Cabinet agenda 

to build Baltimore’s Cradle to Career Pipeline, and the emerging direction of our KidStat 

efforts to measure and track our City’s progress in building this Pipeline. The release of this 

plan marks the formalization of the B’More for Youth! Collaborative and my charge to the 

collaborative to implement the goals and strategies outlined within. 

I want every young person in Baltimore to dream big and to realize their dreams. I hope you 

will become involved to help make Baltimore a safer, thriving city in which our young people 

have reason to have hope for the future. 

Sincerely,

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Mayor of Baltimore
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B’More for Youth! Collaborative:

Baltimore City’s Plan to Prevent Violence Affecting Youth

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND...............................................................................................................................................6

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! VISION........................................................................................................................7

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................7

KEY FINDINGS TO INFORM THE PLAN...........................................................................................................8

Findings about Violence Affecting Youth in Baltimore City ......................................................................8

Rates and Types of Violence..................................................................................................................8

Underlying Factors................................................................................................................................8

Findings about Structures and Systems to Prevent Violence in Baltimore City .....................................10

Leveraging Efforts to Prevent Violence in Baltimore City ...................................................................10

Trends toward Trauma-Informed and Restorative Approaches.........................................................11

Prevention...........................................................................................................................................11

Coordination and ongoing engagement.............................................................................................11

Information, awareness and maximizing existing resources..............................................................12

Leadership and staffing.......................................................................................................................12

Training ...............................................................................................................................................12

Readiness for action and measurable outcomes................................................................................12

PRIORITIZED RISK AND RESILIENCE FACTORS .............................................................................................13

Priority Risk Factors ................................................................................................................................13

Priority Resilience Factors.......................................................................................................................14

CHILDREN’S CABINET: CRADLE TO CAREER SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGES.....................................................14

Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet Agenda........................................................................................................15

OutcomeStat and KidStat........................................................................................................................15

Budget.....................................................................................................................................................15

NEW ACTIVITIES AND COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES ..................................................................................16

GOALS, OUTCOMES, AND STRATEGIES.......................................................................................................17

Goal 1: Early childhood is safe and nurturing .........................................................................................18

Outcomes............................................................................................................................................18

Background and Rationale..................................................................................................................19
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Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives..............................19

Goal 2: Families are supported, connected, and empowered................................................................22

Outcomes............................................................................................................................................22

Background and Rationale..................................................................................................................22

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives..............................23

Goal 3: All young people are connected to a trusted adult....................................................................25

Outcomes............................................................................................................................................25

Background and Rationale..................................................................................................................25

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives..............................26

Goal 4: Neighborhoods engage young people in positive opportunities...............................................28

Outcomes............................................................................................................................................28

Background and Rationale..................................................................................................................28

Goal 5: People and neighborhoods have economic opportunities ........................................................31

Outcomes............................................................................................................................................31

Background and Rationale..................................................................................................................31

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives..............................32

PILOT IMPLEMENTATION SITES AND SELECTION CRITERIA........................................................................34

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! COLLABORATIVE STRUCTURE..................................................................................34

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! COLLABORATIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .....................................................36

WORK PLAN, 2015-2017 .............................................................................................................................38

APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................47

Appendix A: Key Stakeholder Interview Participants and Youth Focus Group Organizers ....................47

Appendix B: Planning Group Members and Key Stakeholders in the Planning Process.........................48

Appendix C: Baseline Data for Overarching Outcomes in Baltimore City...............................................50

Appendix D: Map of Pilot Neighborhoods for Implementation .............................................................57

ENDNOTES...................................................................................................................................................58
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B’More for Youth! Collaborative

Baltimore City’s Plan to Prevent Violence Affecting Youth

BACKGROUND 

While the City of Baltimore, community and faith-based organizations, and individuals have 

made progress in reducing violent crime, the levels of violence affecting young people remains 

a significant problem. Homicides and non-fatal shootings increased significantly in 2015 to 

levels not seen in more than a decade. In 2014, Mayor Rawlings-Blake launched a planning 

process to address violence affecting youth (under age 25) by calling upon a broad and diverse 

group of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive multi-sector plan to prevent violence 

affecting youth, reduce the number of youth entering the juvenile justice system, and foster 

positive youth development. 

The B’More for Youth! Collaborative emerged out of this multi-sector planning process, which is 

part of Baltimore City’s participation in the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (the 

Forum)*and the UNITY City Network (UNITY).†Prevention Institute‡, a national nonprofit based 

in Oakland, California, facilitated the planning process in collaboration with Baltimore City. The 

intent of this process and the implementation of the Plan is to recognize, build on, and 

coordinate the related and complementary efforts underway in Baltimore, as part of achieving 

better outcomes for young people.

 

*

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (the Forum) is a network of communities and federal agencies that work 

together, share information and build local capacity to prevent and reduce youth violence. Established at the direction of 

President Obama in 2010, the Forum brings together people from diverse professions and perspectives to learn from each 

other about youth and gang violence and to build comprehensive solutions on the local and national levels. Participating 

Federal agencies include the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, 

Labor, and the Office on National Drug Control Policy. http://youth.gov/youth-topics/preventing-youth-violence/aboutnational-forum

†

UNITY (Urban Networks to Increase Thriving Youth) is a national initiative of the Prevention Institute that began in 2005 as an 

8-year cooperative agreement with CDC that continues with philanthropic support from the Langeloth Foundation, the Kresge 

Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation. UNITY focuses on multi-sector prevention of urban violence using a public 

health approach. Working with the largest cities in the US, UNITY provides tools and resources and fosters sustained violence 

prevention efforts in urban areas and nationally. Baltimore is a member of the UNITY City Network, which includes 

representatives from 25 large US cities. 

‡

Prevention Institute is a non-profit national center dedicated to improving community health and well-being by building 

momentum for effective primary prevention. Primary prevention means taking action to build resilience and to prevent 

problems before they occur. Determined to improve health and safety for everyone, Prevention Institute builds prevention and 

equity into key policies and actions to transform the places where people live, work, play and learn. The Institute’s work is

characterized by a strong commitment to community participation and promotion of equitable health outcomes among all 

social and economic groups. Since its founding in 1997, the organization has focused on community prevention, injury and 

violence prevention, health equity, healthy eating and active living, positive youth development, transforming our health 

system and mental health and well-being.
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B’MORE FOR YOUTH! VISION

All young people in Baltimore City are valued and protected

in thriving communities and a safe city, 

where there is an abundance of 

opportunities for young people to dream and to

realize their dreams.

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! PRINCIPLES

1. Young people, families and local residents must shape the City’s priorities and drive change. 

2. Positive youth development principles and practices from cradle to career,§including 

extended education and economic opportunities, empowerment, and social, emotional, and 

spiritual supports are key to ensure our young people thrive.

3. Efforts to improve outcomes for young people must promote equity, and strengthen whole 

families and neighborhoods.

4. We recognize and build on the City’s rich history, cultures, and existing assets, in a 

neighborhood-centered way.

5. We address the impact of intergenerational trauma and work to heal trauma, build 

resilience, and restore safety, connectedness and support among youth and among families 

and other caring adults.

6. Multiple forms of violence co-occur in homes, schools and neighborhoods, and experiencing 

or witnessing each form of violence is a risk factor for other forms of violence. We recognize 

these relationships and the need for a comprehensive strategy to be most effective in 

improving outcomes for young people.

7. Robust cross-sector coordination and infrastructure in Baltimore City, and implementation 

of evidence-informed approaches (based on best available research, and contextual and 

experiential evidencei), will ensure the safety and success of every Baltimore City youth, and 

improve outcomes for families, neighborhoods and the entire city. Together we can 

accomplish more than we could accomplish alone.

8. We are all responsible for the safety, health, and wellbeing of Baltimore’s youth. 

 

§

Children’s Defense Fund has a campaign entitled The Cradle to Prison Pipeline that focuses on disproportionate 

incarceration rates experienced by African American and Latino males.
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People are looking just at the youth and 

not at the whole puzzle. They look for 

one person to blame, instead of trying to 

figure out and deal with what the 

problem is. If you don’t fix the problem 

and you send them right back out [of 

DJS], they will do the same thing.” 

– Youth focus group participant

KEY FINDINGS TO INFORM THE PLAN**

Findings about Violence Affecting Youth in Baltimore City 

Rates and Types of Violence

Violence and trauma are pervasive in young people’s lives in Baltimore City. In Baltimore, 

violence manifests as a spectrum of aggressive and harmful behavior among and against 

children, youth and adults and includes homicide, shootings, stabbings, assaults, fights, dating 

abuse, and bullying. Youth are at risk for violence perpetration, victimization, or a cycle of both. 

Several valuable reports have been produced that document the problem of violence in 

Baltimore City, including analysis of fatal and non-fatal shootings at the census tract and

neighborhood level.ii iii iv These reports present a picture of violence in Baltimore in which 

progress is being made, and yet the problem of violence affecting youth remains significant. For 

example, overall, violent crime throughout Baltimore City has declined. Between 2006 and

2013, there was a 19.4% reduction in violent crime in Baltimore.v However, Baltimore City 

continues to have one of the highest US rates of homicide per capita. In 2015, Baltimore City

experienced a large increase in the number of non-fatal shootings and homicides with 56

juveniles either shot or killed, as of late September. Homicide remains the leading cause of 

death among Baltimore City residents 15-24 years old. Firearms are overwhelmingly the 

predominant cause of youth homicides. Each year, at least 55 youth under age 25 are killed by 

a firearm in Baltimore.

vii Youth under 25 years old account for 51% of arrests for violent crime 

and 49% of weapons related arrests.viii More than 26,000 firearms were seized by Police in a 

recent 6.5 year span; 70% of the firearms are thought to have been used in a violent crime.ix

Underlying Factors 

Key informants spoke about a “culture of violence” 

in Baltimore, which includes the normalization of 

violence, as well as a cycle of violence in which the 

trauma of violence and witnessing violence, 

increase the likelihood of trauma-based responses 

to conflict (e.g., fight or flight responses), thereby 

increasing the likelihood of subsequent violence. 

The cycle of violence also includes the recurrence of 

violence in the context of ongoing challenging 

 

** Data-Gathering Methods: The planning process was informed by community and youth focus groups, interviews 

with key stakeholders (see Appendix A), a scan of key documents and data related to the problem and possible 

solutions to violence affecting youth in Baltimore, including data produced by the Planning Group’s Data 

Workgroup, and numerous community listening sessions and community engagement activities.
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“We have young 

people who want to 

provide for their 

family. They begin to 

sell substances, trying 

to get out of poverty. 

Then the territorial 

wars begin.” 

– Key stakeholder

“Our neighborhoods are so bad. We 

are active, we are youth - we want to 

do things. We need a lot of money to 

clean up our neighborhoods, the 

playgrounds, everything. The 

basketball courts are run down and 

rusty, there is trash all over the place, 

and drug dealers. We could stop 

violence if there were more activities, 

more opportunities, and better 

transportation to get there.” 

– Youth focus group participant

“We have people living in 

neighborhoods with lots of 

boarded up housing and drug 

activity. And we have a large 

population of students who are 

homeless.” – Key stakeholder

community conditions. Gun carrying and gun violence in Baltimore is often viewed as 

unavoidable, without cause or rationale, or unlikely to be reduced below certain levels, despite 

other cities’ success in reducing firearm homicides.x

Violence is a learned behavior that is transmitted between individuals and sustained through a 

culture of violence, norms, and expectations where opportunities are scarce.xi Crime and gun 

violence is particularly concentrated and spread among certain individuals, their social 

networks, and places.xii xiii In addition, multilevel trauma (individual, family, community, and 

institutional) continues to predominate youth life experiences in Baltimore, although the 

effects of this trauma are not insurmountable with the aid of multiple coordinated supports 

and services.

xiv Untreated, trauma often leads to substance abuse and mental health problems, 

and in many cases more violence. 

There is a concentration of risk factors in many neighborhoods in 

Baltimore in which a culture of drugs and violence takes over in the 

absence of or exclusion of positive opportunities. A lack of economic 

opportunity is considered to be the most significant risk factor. The 

view that violence is related to economic stressors is supported by 

data analysis that reveals that there is a strong correlation between 

levels of poverty and rates of violent crime in each census tract in 

Baltimore City. Still, there are some areas of the city where the 

predicted youth homicide rates are higher or lower than expected. 

These areas require further assessment to understand why they are 

different.

xv Interviewees and youth focus group participants have 

stated that young people want to earn money before the age of 16, and need opportunities to 

earn money for their own needs, and also to help out their family. An interactive map of 

Baltimore’s social determinants of health and outcomes such as teen pregnancy, life 

expectancy, and violent crime can be found at: http://arcg.is/1JuiBJz.

Lack of economic opportunities are tied to, and compound, 

challenging household and neighborhood conditions. Youth 

focus group participants spoke to the importance of the 

family environment in shaping young people’s attitudes, and 

behaviors, including 

their mechanisms for 

coping with trauma 

and stress. Families 

living in neighborhoods highly impacted by violence in 

Baltimore City tend to be isolated, disconnected and 

heavily steeped in the culture of violence that 

surrounds them compounded by widespread gun 

availability. 
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“Kids love mentors. They 

really do. I love my 

mentor. It’s like a big 

brother or sister. They 

really talk to you and take

you places out in the 

community and help you 

with your school work.”

– Youth focus group 

participant

Youth focus group participants specifically named the lack of recreation opportunities in their 

neighborhoods as a risk factor for violence. Interviewees and youth focus group participants 

named lack of educational opportunities as another significant risk factor. Youth focus group 

participants described school as not being a good training ground for job and career 

opportunities, and named elements of a punitive culture at school, including statements such 

as, “schools treat students like hoodlums,” “the food is like prison food,” and citing examples 

such as racial profiling and students being charged for crimes for “petty actions.” Despite 

improvements in funding youth services, youth focus group participants also expressed that 

support isn’t available to them unless they are involved with the juvenile justice system or 

identified as high-risk.

The risk factors for violence and the risk factors for involvement in the juvenile justice system in 

Baltimore are related, and while most juvenile arrests are not related to violence, involvement 

in the juvenile justice system (for truancy, riding bikes on sidewalks, drug possession, etc.) can 

exacerbate risk factors for violence.

There are also rich and varied resilience factors to build on in 

Baltimore, including: family connection and relationships with other 

caring adults; school, community, and faith-based programs and 

services; recreation opportunities; and work force development 

programs, especially those that are neighborhood based. The 

importance of connecting young people to job opportunities is 

supported by research that shows that the earlier a young person 

gets connected to the work force, the more likely they will be to stay 

employed.xvi Youth participants also frequently mentioned 

consistent caring adults and mentors as being helpful for navigating 

challenges and exposing them to resources and opportunities.

Findings about Structures and Systems to Prevent Violence in Baltimore City

Leveraging Efforts to Prevent Violence in Baltimore City 

There are many positive efforts occurring throughout the City that can be leveraged, including: 

the Mayor's Summer Youth Jobs program, the Opportunity Youth initiative, the Baltimore City 

Public School system’s re-engagement efforts and expanded Alternative Learning 

Opportunities, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services’ Ready by 21 Program, use of 

evidenced-based programs by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), the Safe 

Streets Baltimore’s gun violence interruption program, police diversion and training, increasing 

numbers of community schools, expansion of out-of-school time activities, and increased 

“The violence is perpetuated by rampant drug enforcement and zero tolerance where young people 

go to jail, and without reentry [support], they return to the community. We are generating and 

institutionalizing violence. We are training people to be criminals.” - Key stakeholder
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participation by faith communities. The school system has also re-organized the way it supports 

students and created a Student Supports Office in an effort to improve school climate.xvii This 

Plan reflects a moment of opportunity to build on existing efforts to increase communication 

and collaboration in order to maximize resources. 

Trends toward Trauma-Informed and Restorative Approaches 

Two interrelated and positive trends are occurring throughout the City. The first trend is an 

increasing understanding of trauma and its impact on individuals, homes, neighborhoods and 

systems. This is accompanied by a growing commitment to, and capacity for, implementing 

trauma-informed programs and services throughout the City. The second trend is an increasing 

shift toward restorative practices and away from zero tolerance, punitive approaches to 

addressing youth risk behavior. 

Prevention

There is varying understanding of prevention, its efficacy, and systems throughout the City, so

building a stronger understanding will have value. This step forward can build on the growing 

commitment to cultivate resilience and to give young people hope, opportunity and ability to 

dream. This also applies to family-focused prevention that helps adults be better prepared to 

assist their children in navigating through risks. Systems can play a strong role in protecting 

youth and supporting the foundation for them to thrive. 

Coordination and ongoing engagement

There is strong coordination of efforts in tandems and trios in Baltimore. Much of the strongest 

collaboration often relies on personal relationships or takes places at the highest level of City 

agencies. However, communication and coordination doesn’t always trickle down throughout 

the remaining levels of the systems. A mix of City, County and State jurisdictions add a layer of 

complexity to the task of coordination and collaboration. There is a need to have a better 

understanding of existing efforts and effective programs as well as how they fit together. There 

is also a strong need for a more systematic and ongoing mechanism to support citywide multisector collaboration and coordination in support of outcomes for youth under age 25. 

Given that Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods, residents are apt to engage in their own 

communities, therefore, thoughtful attention needs to be given to coordinating efforts at that 

level. There is the opportunity for ongoing community and youth engagement in the 

development and implementation of the plan. The City needs a formal structure for 

engagement, coordinating a range of efforts and ensuring that gaps are addressed, ‘wheels are 

not re-created’ and efforts are not duplicated. 
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Information, awareness and maximizing existing resources

Given the challenge to ongoing coordination and engagement, staff and providers are not 

always aware of the wealth of resources and efforts that are occurring, and youth, family 

members, and community members are often not aware of the resources available to them, or 

how to access these resources when they are known. For example, seven Judy Centers located 

in city schools provide a range of early childhood and family support services.xviii xix There are 

emerging opportunities to build on State and City efforts to make systems and organizations 

more interoperable (i.e., able to share information and work together), and to use data 

mapping at the neighborhood and block level to increase coordination of violence prevention 

and youth development efforts. 

Leadership and staffing

There is a need for a stronger understanding around roles and how various elements fit 

together to maximize violence prevention activities across the city. This is accompanied by a 

need for strategies and efforts to come together in a cohesive way that reduces redundancy, 

and increases appreciation for clear direction and communications. These activities should

formally engage the leadership of community residents, including youth, as efforts move 

forward. For example, Baltimore City Public Schools has undertaken a significant effort to 

engage students in creating and implementing efforts to improve school climate and school 

engagement. This effort includes developing procedures for increasing student input into 

efforts to deal with trauma and to increase student commitment to positive outcomes.

Training

Cross-sector training on key topics and prevention priorities will support effective 

implementation and enhanced coordination. Some key topics for city and community and faith-

-based programs include trauma and trauma-informed approaches, youth development, multisector collaboration, and strategies to integrate prevention with intervention and enforcement. 

For example, Baltimore City Schools is working to increase the use of common strategies and 

linkages within community schools--increasing engagement with neighborhood and faith 

leaders in schools.

Readiness for action and measurable outcomes

The positive efforts, emerging trends, Mayor’s directive, and a strong and diverse city network 

of leaders and organizations ready for action and change have created a moment of great 

opportunity to collectively increase investment in and improve outcomes for young people. 

Indicators and benchmarks to measure results, and ongoing mechanisms for reviewing progress 

and making course corrections will support effectiveness and accountability.
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PRIORITIZED RISK AND RESILIENCE FACTORS

Risk factors are conditions or characteristics in individuals, families, communities and society 

that increase the likelihood that violence will occur.xx Resilience factors are conditions or 

characteristics in individuals, families, communities and society that are protective, thus 

reducing the likelihood that violence will occur, even in the presence of risk factors.xxi No one 

factor alone can be attributed to causing or preventing violence; it is the accumulation of risk 

factors without compensatory resilience factors that puts individuals, families and communities 

at risk.xxii Effective violence prevention efforts reduce risk factors and strengthen resilience 

factors.

Overview of Baltimore’s Prioritized Risk and Resilience Factors

Prioritized and clustered risk factors Prioritized and clustered resilience factors

 Poverty/lack of economic opportunity

 Social inequities

 Lack of quality educational 

opportunities

 Disenfranchised neighborhoods

 Culture of violence

 Trauma, mental illness and substance 

use

 Family stressors and family isolation

 Economic development 

 Academic achievement and youth 

development

 Access to trauma-informed mental 

health and substance use services

 Connections with family, other caring 

adults, faith groups, and the 

community 

 Strong families

 Strong neighborhoods

Priority Risk Factors

The selection of priority risk factors for violence affecting youth in Baltimore informed the 

development of goals and strategies. The list of risk factors reflects a prioritized ranking. The 

factors are in alignment with statistically significant factors associated with youth shootings 

(unadjusted) in Baltimore City, including: births to teens; single female-headed households; 

poverty; school suspensions/expulsions; liquor outlets; and, vacant buildings:xxiii

 Poverty/lack of economic opportunity, including a strong drug culture being directly 

related to poverty.

 Social inequities, including neighborhood disinvestment stemming from racism and 

oppression, social exclusion, lack of power and disempowerment.

 Lack of quality educational opportunities, including disconnection from school; a zero 

tolerance approach to school discipline; and disengagement from school, including 

suspensions/expulsions. 

 Disenfranchised neighborhoods, including a lack of neighborhood-based recreational 

activities and outlets, neighborhood disinvestment, and high density of liquor outlets. 

 Culture of violence, including harmful norms about violence, experiencing and 

witnessing violence, and a lack of skills for behavior and anger control, and associating 
14

with delinquent peers. Illegal firearms especially carried in the streets, public places, 

schools, and vehicles.

 Trauma, mental illness and substance use disorders, including community-level 

trauma, experiencing trauma, mental health issues, low self-worth, and alcohol and 

drug use.

 Family and household stressors and family isolation, including disconnection from 

family and other caring adults, and stress from parenting as a teen and/or as a single 

parent. 

Priority Resilience Factors

The selection of priority resilience factors for violence affecting youth in Baltimore informed the 

development of goals and strategies. The list clusters related resilience factors and reflects a 

prioritized ranking. It is consistent with findings from the youth focus groups in which young 

people identified consistent, caring adults and mentors as being helpful for navigating 

challenges and exposing them to resources and opportunities.

 Economic development, including opportunities to develop employment and 

entrepreneurial opportunities, especially those that are neighborhood-based and linked 

to increased retention and training programs; promoting wealth creation; creating 

alternatives to four-year colleges.

 Academic achievement and youth development, including the availability of night and 

online learning, skills in solving conflict non-violently, opportunities for meaningful 

participation/youth development, restorative practices in schools, association with prosocial peers and activities, and positive self-worth/high self-esteem.

 Access to mental health and substance use services, including integrating mental 

health check-ups into regular medical check-ups.

 Connections with family, other caring adults and the community, including 

engagement in positive activities such as mentoring, as well as school, home, 

community, and faith-based programs and services; and restorative practices.

 Strong families, including family involvement; engaged parents, and skills to support 

healthy childhood development.

 Strong neighborhoods, including community connectedness; strong social networks

neighborhood conditions that support health and safety, such as neighborhood-based 

recreation activities; community and faith-based programs and services; improvement 

of safety in public facilities, coordination of resources and services among community 

agencies; and neighborhood-specific violence interruption strategies.

CHILDREN’S CABINET: CRADLE TO CAREER SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGES 

In initiating the development of this Plan, Mayor Rawlings-Blake charged the Planning Group 

with devising strategies to prevent violence affecting youth, support positive youth 
15

development, and reduce the number of youth entering the juvenile justice system. Building on 

the findings used to inform the plan including prioritized risk and resilience factors, the Planning 

Group identified the need to work at the systems level to maximize impact and sustainability. 

Toward this end, the Plan to Prevent Violence Affecting Youth intentionally aligns and 

integrates with mutually reinforcing Citywide systems-level changes to build Baltimore’s Cradle 

to Career Pipeline. These systems-level changes include: the Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet 

agenda, OutcomeStat, KidStat, and the City’s budgeting process. 

Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet Agenda

The Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet agenda is also focused on building Baltimore’s Cradle to Career 

Pipeline. In fact, the Plan to Prevent Violence Affecting Youth informed the direction of the 

Cabinet’s agenda, including the decision to incorporate a Cabinet goal of ensuring that

Baltimore’s youth are safe. The Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet is a collaborative initiative involving 

multiple City departments and offices with the vision that every Baltimore City youth will be 

ready to learn when they enter school and ready to earn when they leave school. The Children’s 

Cabinet agenda includes six Cradle to Career Pipeline goals that align with the B’More for 

Youth! Collaborative’ s goals (described in the Goals, Outcomes, and Strategies section). The 

alignment between the Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet agenda and the B’More for Youth Plan 

includes common outcomes, strategies, and actions. 

OutcomeStat and KidStat

OutcomeStat and KidStat are components of CitiStat, a data-driven management system 

designed to monitor and improve government performance. The B’More for Youth! 

Collaborative Plan’s outcomes also align with the emerging direction of the City of Baltimore’s 

OutcomeStat and KidStat efforts to measure and track Baltimore City’s progress in ensuring the 

City’s safety and economic vitality and building the Cradle to Career Pipeline.

Budget

Finally, by integrating with the Children’s Cabinet agenda and KidStat, the Plan aligns with 

upcoming changes to the City’s budgeting process. This process, overseen by the City’s Finance 

Office, is working to align the City’s budgeting process with CitiStat. As a result, the budgeting 

process will shift from a siloed and disjoint process, to one that is more collaborative. For the 

Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet Cradle to Career Pipeline agenda and KidStat, this means that the 

City’s budgeting for all programs and services that relate to the health, safety, and well-being of 

children and youth will be made in a strategic and coordinated manner for greater transparency 

and impact. 
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NEW ACTIVITIES AND COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES

As part of the Plan, the B’More for Youth! Collaborative will seek alignment and collaboration 

with the following new activities and ongoing collaborative initiatives:

Emergency Room Violence Interruption Program: A partnership between the Baltimore City 

Health Department and local hospitals to encourage emergency room doctors to stop treating 

traumatic injuries as only medical problems. To ensure continuity of care, treatment begins in 

the hospital resulting in physicians referring victims of violence to appropriate services in the 

community. As a preventive measure, this program will provide resource cards and other tools 

to youth.

Youth Job Training Program, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development: Baltimore has 

received a $5 million dollar federal grant to train youth in a wide array of fields including 

construction, automotive, and healthcare. It is estimated that upwards of 700 youth from 

across the city will receive training and other supports to improve socio-economic well-being. 

Awards will be made to several agencies to assist in job training and employment development.

Additionally, MOED was able to leverage additional funding to provide nearly 7,000 summer 

jobs through its YouthWorks program; a 25% increase from the previous summer.

Mayor’s Youth Fellowship Program: The program accepts referrals from partners in non-profit

and City and State agencies for young people seeking employment beyond the summer 

opportunities afforded by YouthWorks. Partner organizations are recruited by the Mayor’s 

Office and include the Mayor’s Office of Human Services, the Housing Authority of Baltimore 

City, the Baltimore City Health Department, the Environmental Control Board, the Family 

League of Baltimore, Community Law in Action, and the YES Drop-In Center.

Youth Health and Wellness: The Baltimore City Health Department is leading strategic 

planning and coordination focused on the prevention of illness and well-being of youth from 

the cradle to age eighteen. Essentially, this is an “umbrella strategy” to the B’More for Youth 

Collaborative with a primary focus on a wide array of health related strategies. 

Dating Matters Communications Campaign: Baltimore City Health Department is leading a 

collaborative youth-focused communications campaign about teen dating violence. The 

campaign is intended to reinforce messages learned in school curricula, but uses technology 

and language that is appealing and relevant for youth. The campaign was developed based on 

formative research and focus group testing. The campaign will be carried out using print, social, 

and text communication messaging. 

Baltimore City Temporary Cash Assistance Employment and Training Program: Baltimore City 

Health Department, with funding from the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, will 

provide Baltimore City Temporary Cash Assistance customers an employment and training 
17

program that offers transportation to hard-to-reach job and education sites and provide wrap 

around employment services. 

Baltimore City Schools Reengagement Strategy: The BCPS Re-Engagement Center is designed 

to support the re-entry of students who have left the system before achieving a HS diploma. 

The Re-Engagement Center's three primary purposes: 1) Re-entry through a multifaceted intake 

process, 2) Transition support by using a step down approach to academic placement for 

students coming to us from correctional settings or those who have spent several months to 

several years outside of an educational environment, and 3) Crisis support for students who 

experience acute trauma and are unable to function in school.

Baltimore City Child Fatality Review Team: The multidisciplinary review board examines 

deaths of children less than 18 years old in Baltimore City, on a case-by-case basis and through 

data analysis and makes recommendations to mitigate child deaths.

US Attorney’s Office Project Safe Neighborhoods: The program aims to reduce gang-related 

gun crime by coordinated federal, state, and local prosecution and law enforcement.

Baltimore Police Chaplaincy Program: This program addresses issues that impact policecommunity relations. The chaplains are clergy of diverse religious denominations who are

assigned to high crime areas where they have influence. 

Upton/Druid Heights BUILD Health Challenge: Healing Together: Preventing Youth Violence.

The collaboration will develop a comprehensive youth violence prevention plan for the Druid 

Heights and Upton neighborhoods. The initiative is led by the Druid Heights Community 

Development Center, the University of Maryland School of Social Work, the Adams Cowley 

Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Baltimore City Health 

Department, and community based organizations.

GOALS, OUTCOMES, AND STRATEGIES

The overarching purpose of this plan is to support positive youth development and career 

trajectories in Baltimore City and to prevent violence affecting youth. Moreover, the B’More for 

Youth! Plan is fundamentally about shifting the “Cradle to Prison Pipeline”†† to a “Cradle to 

Career Pipeline.” The Plan is focused on the following overarching outcomes:

 Over the next five years, increase the percent of citizens that report feeling “safe” or 

“very safe” at night in their neighborhood to 75 percent through a range of communitybased public safety, legal, and public health efforts. 

 

†† Children’s Defense Fund has a campaign entitled The Cradle to Prison Pipeline, which focuses on 

disproportionate incarceration rates experienced by African American and Latino males.
18

 Decrease the number of youth under 25 being arrested by 5 percent per year by 

improving police-community relations and providing alternatives to entering the 

criminal justice system.

 Sustain and increase the juvenile diversion to arrest ratio, decreasing the number of

people under 25 entering the justice system.

 Decrease the number of young people experiencing or witnessing violence by reducing 

the annual number of juvenile homicide and non-fatal shooting victims (combined) to 

less than 20 per year in the next five years.

 Decrease the rate of Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) among youth of color as 

measured by the Relative Rate Index (RRI) for juveniles and youth ages 18 to 24.

 Increase the number of young people by one percent per year in Baltimore’s Cradle to 

Career Pipeline.

Building on and connecting with many assets and a number of other initiatives, the plan’s 

overarching purpose primarily will be accomplished through the following five goals:

Goal 1: Early childhood is safe and nurturing.

Goal 2: Families are supported, connected and empowered. 

Goal 3: All young people are connected to a trusted adult. 

Goal 4:Neighborhoods engage young people in positive opportunities.

Goal 5: People and neighborhoods have economic opportunities. 

Goal 1: Early childhood is safe and nurturing

“You have to start younger, reach people earlier.”

– Youth focus group participant

Outcomes 

 Annually, increase the percent of WIC mothers breastfeeding by two percent (a measure 

of attachment and bonding).

 Annually, decrease by 5 percent measures of intimate partner violence; the number of

911 calls for service and victims of domestic violence.

 Annually, decrease the number of child abuse and neglect substantiations by 5 percent.

 Annually, increase the number of subsidies for high quality affordable child care by 2 

percent.
19

“We are being 

brought up 

around violence. If 

that’s what you 

grow up around, 

that’s what you 

become, that’s 

what you are 

going to start 

doing.” 

 - Youth focus 

group participant

Background and Rationale

Decades of research on violence prevention have resulted in the understanding that violence 

prevention needs to start earlier and that acting as early as possible, in the first five years of 

life, is critical to success. 

Early childhood is a critical time during which essential intellectual and emotional abilities

form.xxiv The attachment and bonding process during infancy is the foundation upon which 

future relationships and interpersonal skills are based.xxv Attachment between an infant and 

caregiver is fundamentally important to helping develop skills such as cooperation, empathy, 

and negotiation, all of which help in developing positive and healthy relationships later in life. In 

addition, attachment to parents, parental supervision, and consistent discipline have been 

found to be the most important family protective factors in preventing delinquency in high-risk 

youth, counteracting negative influences of peers.

xxvi xxvii xxviii xxix

Further, cognitive skills developed during the early years of life lay the 

foundation for later educational success and academic achievement,xxx

xxxi factors that are highly protective against involvement in violence.xxxii

xxxiii On the other hand, experiencing and witnessing violence can result 

in a ‘re-wiring’ of a child’s brain such that survival skills are 

preferentially developed at the expense of learning and other social 

skills. However, brain research confirms that if trauma, stress, and 

early onset mental health conditions are recognized and addressed 

during the first few years of life, structural and functional changes in 

the brain that would otherwise compromise a child’s success and selfsufficiency can be avoided or reversed.xxxiv Safe and nurturing early 

childhoods can protect Baltimore’s young people against lifelong 

problems, including the risk of becoming involved in violence. 

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives

The following are the key ongoing and enhanced strategies that will be a focus of 

implementation for Goal 1 between 2015-2017. Each strategy is focused on prevention, 

intervention, enforcement and/or re-entry (PIER). The set of strategies take a balanced 

approach of including all categories. The category(ies) of each strategy is indicated. The key 

activities, and lead/organizations and initiatives for implementation of each strategy are noted. 

 Strategy (P, I): Teach all caregivers about the developmental needs and milestones for 

children and about the harmful impact of children witnessing and experiencing violence in 

any form, and embed messaging into the places where parents go (e.g. markets, 

pediatricians, etc.). Implementation of this strategy will include efforts by initiatives such as 

B’more for Healthy Babies and the Promise Heights Parent University’s parent outreach, 
20

social support, and health education, Behavioral Health System Baltimore’s TraumaInformed Care training for behavioral health providers; and workshops and instructional 

videos provided by numerous other organizations, including the Department of Social 

Services, parent-teacher associations, Head Start Centers, daycare centers, and foster and 

adoptive parent organizations. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore City Health 

Department, Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, B’more for Healthy Babies, BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, GM 

Research and Training Inc., PrimeStar Industries, Promise Heights Parent University.

 Strategy (P, I): Infuse fatherhood and male responsibility programs into settings with men 

and boys whereby men teach males about gender norms and gender roles. 

Implementation of this strategy includes partnering with initiatives such as B’More for 

Healthy Babies to provide information during Dads Groups and conduct outreach efforts to 

teach men about their role in keeping their children healthy. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, BUILD Health Challenge.

 Strategy (I): Institutionalize trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive practices into all child 

and family-services agencies, institutions and organizations. This strategy will build on 

numerous efforts to transform Baltimore into a trauma-informed city, including widespread 

training for professionals and residents that took place during the summer of 2015 and 

continues with technical assistance to support teams from City agencies that implement 

trauma-informed practices Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore City Health 

Department, Behavioral Health System Baltimore, Promise Heights, BUILD Health Challenge, 

Druid Heights CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy. 

 Strategy (P, I): Partner with Baltimore Healthy Babies initiative to expand Mom’s Clubs 

and other networks of support, education, and employment training for women in 

conjunction with service providers, faith-based groups, businesses, schools, and 

community leaders and to improve policy and practice related to maternal and child 

health, such as expanded support services for new parents, families and non-traditional 

and/or informal family structures, so parenting classes and home visitation programs 

become community-wide affairs, emphasizing community connections and support. 

Implementing this strategy will include the expansion of the Baltimore Healthy Babies 

initiative into additional neighborhoods and housing developments and efforts to educate 

new mothers on parenting skills and healthy brain development through parent-led selfhelp groups and the creation of informational handouts distributed through various 

community outlets. This strategy will also focus on identifying additional training needs for 

new moms, creating networks in which mothers feel supported and connected, and 

creating a resource guide to support service providers in their work with parents and 

caregivers. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore City Health Department, Druid 

Heights CDC, Behavioral Health System Baltimore, GM Research and Training Inc., Child 

Fatality Review Meetings, Preventing Substance Exposed Pregnancies. 
21

 Strategy (I): Ensure that all parents and caregivers with mental illnesses and substance 

use disorders receive effective supports, services and treatment. Implementation of this 

strategy includes the efforts of initiatives such as Baltimore Healthy Babies to link pregnant 

women and new moms to mental health and substance abuse services, implementing 

screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment services at community health 

centers and other locations; and offering services and support groups for families with a 

loved one who has a substance use disorder. This strategy also includes efforts to reduce 

barriers to mental health and substance abuse treatment and to help ensure that mental 

health problems are adequately addressed in the primary care setting. Lead organizations 

and initiatives: Baltimore Health Babies, Druid Heights CDC, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, Communities United, GM Research and Training Inc. 

 Strategy (P, I): Expand home visitation programs, such as the Nurse Family Partnership 

and Healthy Families America, in neighborhoods most impacted by violence, including 

linking youth in school who become pregnant with a home visitation program prior to 

birth, and conducting a home visit to welcome every new baby to Baltimore not already 

connected. Implementation of this strategy will include linking Baltimore Healthy Babies 

with Druid Heights home visiting partner DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families Inc., working 

with schools to provide case management and mental health services to pregnant teens, 

and efforts such as the Baltimore Children and Adolescent Response System, which 

provides short-term psychiatric treatment and support in the home or other communitybased setting. Lead organizations and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, Baltimore Healthy 

Babies, Behavioral Health System Baltimore, Baltimore Children and Adolescent Response 

System, GM Research and Training Inc. 

 Strategy (I): Ensure that all service providers are aware of the resources available to 

families with young children and can connect them to such resources in a coordinated 

web of appropriate services, enrollments and referrals. This strategy will build on efforts to 

increase the capacity of service providers to connect families to resources, including 

conducting quarterly meeting with school personnel to educate them on resources, 24/7 

information and referral lines that provide callers with referrals for mental health services, 

online resource directories for families, and the creation of the Community and Family 

Resource Center to assist families in locating services and connecting them directly to

providers. Lead organizations and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, Health Care Access Maryland, GM Research and Training Inc., Department of 

Juvenile Services.

 Strategy (P, I): Embed parenting skill development, such as Triple P (Positive Parenting 

Program) and Strengthening Families Program, into child and family-services agencies, 

institutions and organizations. Implementation of this strategy will include the 

collaboration of multiple organizations utilizing evidence-based parenting approaches that 

lead to increased family cohesion and parental skill development. Lead organizations and 
22

initiatives: Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, Druid Heights CDC, The Strengthening Families Program.

 Strategy (P, I, R): Support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents and caregivers 

to develop and maintain strong relationships with their children. Work with familyserving organizations and institutions to model healthy, egalitarian relationships and 

build healthy relationship skills, such as through Dating Matters. Implementation of this 

strategy will include efforts such as education to support incarcerated parents and 

initiatives such as the Chrysalis House Healthy Start Program, a transitional housing 

program for pregnant and post-partum women in lieu of incarceration. Lead organizations 

and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, Promise Heights B’more for Healthy Babies, Baltimore 

City Health Department Dating Matters, Behavioral Health System Baltimore, Chrysalis 

House Healthy Start Program. 

Goal 2: Families are supported, connected, and empowered

“Having a good supportive team helps. But a lot of people have 

family problems – issues with foster care, mothers struggling or on 

drugs, and fathers not being around. These are normal for a lot of 

people. ” – Youth focus group participant

Outcomes 

 Annually, increase the percentage by 2 percent the percentage of parents that feel they 

have the ability to give input into the school's decisions.

 Annually, increase the number of facilities and available treatment slots for inpatient 

and outpatient slots.

 Annually, increase the utilization rate by 5 percent of all mentally ill patients receiving 

appropriate mental health services.

Background and Rationale

Young people need to be supported by strong families. Support, connection and empowerment 

are necessary for families to be strong. Families need supports such as access to quality, 

affordable child care and reliable, safe transportation. 

Research shows that strong social networks and connections correspond with significant 

increases in physical and mental health, academic achievement, and local economic 

development, as well as lower rates of homicide, suicide, and substance use disorders.

xxxv xxxvi

Family empowerment is also critical for the prevention of violence. When families and

communities come together in a neighborhood to address issues, referred to as collective 
23

efficacy, they have the power to promote a number of positive outcomes, including reducing 

gang and gun violence, as well as other health and safety outcomes. Collective efficacy has 

been shown to be a “robust predictor of lower rates of violence.”xxxvii

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives

The following are the key ongoing and enhanced strategies that will be a focus of 

implementation for Goal 2 between 2015-2017. Each strategy is focused on prevention, 

intervention, enforcement and/or re-entry (PIER). The set of strategies take a balanced 

approach of including all categories. The category(ies) of each strategy is indicated. The key 

activities, and lead/organizations and initiatives for implementation of each strategy are noted. 

 Strategy (P, I): Engage families through family-serving agencies in supports and activities 

to heal from trauma/traumatic stress and reduce the transmission of multi-generational 

trauma. The Baltimore City Health Department and partner city agencies recently begun a 

citywide initiative to increase the awareness and capacity of staff to address trauma. 

Implementation of this strategy includes the formation of a trauma-informed team of 

mental health professionals and religious and community leaders to create traumainformed initiatives, as well as community-wide events and activities. This strategy is also 

implemented through family grief support centers, such as Roberta’s House: A Family Grief 

Support Center. Lead organizations and initiatives: BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights 

CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy.

 Strategy (R): Create more viable connections between communities and inside detention 

facilities and support transition from detention to the community through mental health 

services, substance use disorder treatment, job training and employment services, 

housing and supports for family members. Implementation of this strategy includes 

providing support to individuals as they transition back into the community through 

temporary housing, substance abuse and mental health services, resume writing and job 

assistance, and education for parents/guardians on how to navigate through the juvenile 

justice system and access services deemed appropriate for their child. Creation of initiatives 

such as the Forensic Alternative Service Team provides jail diversion services for individuals 

with mental health concerns and conducts assessments to determine eligibility for 

community-based services that would allow the individual to return to the community. Lead 

organizations and initiatives: Forensic Alternative Service Team, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, Department of Juvenile Services, BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC. 

 Strategy (P, I): Provide affordable, high-quality child care for families in need. This strategy

includes efforts to provide free after school programs and summer camps for Baltimore City 

residents and services to link families to child care programs. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, Promise Heights, Druid Heights CDC, BUILD 

Health Challenge. 
24

 Strategy (P): Support neighborhood-based organizations to create community events to 

bring people together to get to know each other and initiate longer term projects that 

bring the community together. Implementation of this strategy includes efforts to hold 

community events such as movie nights, family picnics, block parties, and community cleanups, and to support neighborhood associations within communities. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Communities United, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, 

BUILD Health Challenge, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, Druid Heights CDC, Promise 

Heights. 

 Strategy (P): Engage faith-based leaders and organizations as active partners in 

connecting and empowering families. Implementation of this strategy includes the 

coordination of services through faith-based organizations and initiatives such as Pastor’s 

Roundtable, which hosts bi-monthly meetings with clergy and faith-based leaders in the 

community. Lead organizations and initiatives: McElderry Park, Druid Heights CDC, BUILD 

Health Challenge, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy. 

 Strategy (P, I): Develop school-based family support systems including coordinated crosssector diagnostic systems and practices for identifying and supporting families and youth 

at risk. This strategy includes redesigning the delivery of school-based substance use 

services and identifying and implementing tools to be used by school-based mental health 

clinicians that assess the need for mental health services and measure progress in 

subsequent months. Lead organizations and initiatives: Behavioral Health System Baltimore, 

Baltimore City Public Schools, University of Maryland, Baltimore. 

 Strategy (P): Engage families in decision-making structures and governing bodies that 

make decisions about priorities and policies affecting them, including giving them shared 

leadership and defined leadership roles, such as indicated in the Shared Leadership in 

Action program. Implementation of this strategy includes working with partners such as 

Equity Matters to identify opportunities for youth and families to have a voice in local 

community organizations and councils. Lead organizations and initiatives: Equity Matters, 

The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, BUILD Health Challenge. 

 Strategy (P): Enhance the availability of safe, mixed-income and affordable housing in 

neighborhoods highly impacted by violence. Implementation of this strategy will entail the 

creation of additional newly constructed homes and community land trusts, as well as 

stability improvements in neighborhoods throughout Baltimore. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods

Grant Program, Druid Heights CDC, McElderry Park.

 Strategy (P): Maintain and develop programming and facilities (including park programs) 

to support social connection and recreation. In addition to programming supplied by the 

Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, this strategy includes the continuation 

and expansion of neighborhood programs and facilities to promote fitness, opportunities,
25

for artistic and cultural expression, and social connection. Youth development programs 

offered at various community organizations include tutorial and homework assistance 

programs and opportunities to reduce stress through dance, sports, and other physical 

activities. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, BUILD 

Health Challenge, the Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, Druid Heights 

CDC, Community Development Block Grant Program. 

Goal 3: All young people are connected to a trusted adult

“We need role models and mentors who have changed their lives 

and can relate to our experience. One person can change one 

person’s life.” – Youth focus group participant

Outcomes 

 Each school year, increase the number of over-age and under credit students who are 

connected to relevant high quality support services through re-engagement.

 Each school year, decrease chronic absence/truancy by at least one percent for 

elementary and middle school students and at least two percent for high school

students. 

 Annually, increase the overall (all ages) resident perception of the Police Department as 

measured by the Annual Citizen Survey.

Background and Rationale

The importance of caring relationships is one of three primary protective factors identified in 

research on resilience in young people. Young people need positive, supportive, nonjudgmental role models with whom they can form a strong and enduring bond. 

The presence of a caring adult in young people’s lives is associated with “better development, 

social interactions and academic achievement”.xxxviii Caring relationships convey compassion, 

understanding, respect, and interest, are grounded in listening, and establish safety and basic 

trust. Within the context of caring relationships, high expectation messages communicate not 

only firm guidance, structure, and challenge but, and most importantly, convey a belief in the 

youth’s innate resilience and look for strengths and assets as opposed to problems and 

deficits.xxxix

A wide range of community role models and natural mentors can emphasize existing positive 

norms against violence and emphasize an understanding in the community about the 

importance of adult relationships to youth and provide model relationships. Caring 

relationships are possible, and important, with family members as well as teachers, counselors, 
26

recreation staff and law enforcement officers. Caring relationships across multiple generations 

can further foster community connectedness and support healthy youth development.

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives

The following are the key ongoing and enhanced strategies that will be a focus of 

implementation for Goal 3 between 2015-2017. Each strategy is focused on prevention, 

intervention, enforcement and/or re-entry (PIER). The set of strategies take a balanced 

approach of including all categories. The category(ies) of each strategy is indicated. The key 

activities, and lead/organizations and initiatives for implementation of each strategy are noted. 

 Strategy (P, E): Foster positive youth-police relations by including youth on the Police 

Community Relations Council, via a sub-committee and continuing police training efforts 

designed to reduce racial bias. Implementation of this strategy includes development of 

initiatives such as the Police Department’s Youth Commission and other initiatives that train 

police officers in crisis intervention, minimize arrests, and proactively engage community 

members in crime hot spots. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore Police 

Department and Community Collaboration Division Youth Explorers and Youth Matters,

Behavioral Health System Baltimore, Druid Heights CDC, Communities United, BUILD Health 

Challenge, Behavioral Emergency Services Team, GM Research and Training Inc. 

 Strategy (P, I): Maximize opportunities for youth and young adults to have connections 

with non-judgmental, interested adults in their communities who serve as community 

role models and natural mentors, such as coaches, teachers, grandparents and other nonparental family members. This strategy incorporates efforts to connect young people to 

role models through community organizations, such as programs that pair middle and high 

school students with senior citizen mentors. Recreation centers provide fun and safe places 

for youth and young adults to connect with adult role models who can encourage youth to 

pursue positive social interactions with peers and other adults. For example, the Safe 

Streets program which uses credible messengers to directly relate to high-risk youth. Lead 

organizations and initiatives: BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, Behavioral Health 

System Baltimore, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, McElderry Park, 

Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, and Safe Streets Baltimore. 

 Strategy (P): Enhance alternatives to suspension, expulsion and detention to keep young 

people in school and on track. This strategy includes the implementation of restorative 

justice practices in community schools and the expansion of school mental health programs 

to promote mental well-being and success in school. Lead organizations and initiatives: 

Baltimore City Public Schools, BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, Behavioral Health 

System Baltimore. 
27

 Strategy (I, R): Institutionalize trauma-informed and restorative justice practices into 

youth-serving agencies, institutions and organizations, including schools, health care 

institutions, juvenile detention centers, the courts, and community-based organizations. 

This strategy includes building community advocates for the implementation of traumainformed and restorative justice practices and policies, mounting teams of trauma-informed 

mental health professionals, community leaders, and religious leaders to create traumainformed initiatives within their organizations, and creating units such as the Centralized 

Intake Division within the Department of Juvenile services, which is able to divert some 

youth from formal detention. Lead organizations and initiatives: Department of Juvenile 

Services, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, Communities United, 

BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC. 

 Strategy (P): Provide high-quality formal mentoring opportunities for young people. 

Implementation of this strategy includes school programs that connect mentors with 

students at high risk for school failure, opportunities for college students to shadow case 

managers at the Department of Juvenile Services, and male and female mentoring 

programs at recreation centers for youth and young adults. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, Renaissance Academy, BUILD Health Challenge, The Living 

Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, 

Department of Juvenile Services. 

 Strategy (P, I): Engage children of incarcerated parents/caregivers in mentoring. This 

strategy includes school-based programs and efforts of centers such as Roberta’s House, 

which provides support for children of incarcerated parents. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Roberta’s House, BUILD Health Challenge, Communities United, Renaissance 

Academy, Druid Heights CDC. 

 Strategy (I): Train mentors to be aware of the impact of trauma and how to connect young 

people to opportunities for healing. Implementation of this strategy includes efforts to 

create trauma-informed mentors and teams of community and religious leaders through 

centers such as Roberta’s House and to train medical professionals on the impact of trauma. 

Lead organizations and initiatives: Shock Trauma at the University of Maryland Medical 

Center, Roberta’s House, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, BUILD 

Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC. 

 Strategy (P, I): Build up the places and spaces where intergenerational connections exist, 

and make these types of relationships common. This strategy is implemented through 

events such as monthly Intergenerational Nights and mentoring programs in which youth 

are paired with a senior citizen to work on a school project together. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, and

Mayor’s Office of Human Services. 
28

 Strategy (P): Emphasize understanding in the community about the importance of adult 

relationships to youth and provide model relationships. Implementation of this strategy 

includes involving adults and parents in all youth programs within the community and 

creating programs such as The Living Village to support parents and youth with training and 

interactive workshops on leadership, communication, health, and education. Lead 

organizations and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and 

Economic Vibrancy, BUILD Health Challenge. 

Goal 4: Neighborhoods engage young people in positive opportunities

“We have too much idle time to get into trouble. And this is the 

kicker – you have to get in trouble to get help. You only allow me 

to come to these anger management programs and chances for 

my voice to be heard because I got in trouble. We could stop 

violence if there were more activities, more opportunities, and 

better transportation to get there.”

- Youth focus group participant

Outcomes 

 Annually, increase the number of young people who report having a safe place to 

engage in positive recreation, arts, music, and other activities.

 Annually, decrease student suspensions and expulsions by 10 percent.

Background and Rationale

Young people need positive things to do, and when engaged in structured activities such as the 

arts, recreation and civic opportunities, they are “more likely to express anger appropriately, 

communicate effectively, engage less in delinquent behavior, have improved attitudes and selfesteem, and greater self-efficacy and resistance to peer pressure”.xl

Research has consistently supported the positive role of meaningful opportunities and 

participation for young people. In their report, Community Programs to Promote Youth 

Development, the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine outlined 

characteristics of positive youth development settings. 

These opportunities are vital for an adolescent’s social development. Opportunities for 

meaningful participation and contribution include having opportunities for valued 

responsibilities, for making decisions, for giving voice and being heard, and for contributing 
29

one’s talents to the community.xli Meaningful participation is a significant protective factor

against violence. Environments that promote positive youth development must provide youth 

with real choices and with ample opportunities for decision-making authority. Efforts that 

promote meaningful inclusion can successfully counter anti-social behavior among youth.xlii

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives

The following are the key ongoing and enhanced strategies that will be a focus of 

implementation for Goal 4 between 2015-2017. Each strategy is focused on prevention, 

intervention, enforcement and/or re-entry (PIER). The set of strategies take a balanced 

approach of including all categories. The category(ies) of each strategy is indicated. The key 

activities, and lead/organizations and initiatives for implementation of each strategy are noted. 

 Strategy (P, I): Transform youth centers and youth-serving organizations into youthdriven, youth-centered resource centers that draw young people for meaningful 

engagement and connection and ensure that all places for young people, such as the 

Youth Connection Centers by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), Baltimore City 

Recreation and Parks facilities and programming, and Community Schools and Out of 

School Time programming provide safe and supportive places for young people. This 

strategy is implemented through efforts to deepen youth involvement in community 

organizations by having youth in the community manage programs and raise money for 

community events and activities. Efforts to identify barriers to youth community 

engagement and to ensure that more community centers for youth are located in distressed 

communities to promote youth involvement in civic affairs further support this strategy. 

Lead organizations and initiatives: GM Research and Training Inc., McElderry Park, 

Communities United, Roberta’s House, BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, 

Baltimore City Youth Commission, Youth Leadership and Advocacy Network.

 Strategy (P, I): Develop community-level approaches to prevent and reduce incidences of 

traumatic stress, such as reclaiming and improving public spaces; enhancing social 

connections and networks; promoting healing circles and other traditional/indigenousbased community healing opportunities; building intergenerational connections and 

networks; and organizing and promoting regular positive community activity.

Implementation of this strategy includes efforts to organize a trauma-informed team of 

mental health professionals, religious leaders, artists, and healers to create traumainformed initiatives, events, and community-wide activities. Partnerships with organizations 

such as Urban Foli support this strategy to provide music-based education using traditional 

African art forms such as Djembe Drumming. Lead organizations and initiatives: The Living 

Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, Urban Foli. 

 Strategy (P, I): Foster skills for violence prevention, conflict resolution, and de-escalation 

throughout youth-serving organizations. This strategy seeks to expand the use of 

community-based programs to foster skills for violence prevention for at-risk youth, as well 

as family referrals to conflict resolution and de-escalation programs such as Community 
30

Mediation. Lead organizations and initiatives: Safe Streets Baltimore, Department of 

Juvenile Services, McElderry Park. 

 Strategy (P): Provide non-school hour supports for every student to graduate from high 

school ready to participate in community and career. Implementation of this strategy 

includes programs through Promise Heights Community Schools and the Living Village 

Program, which provides youth with training in an interactive workshop setting that focuses 

on leadership, communication, and informed decision-making regarding health, finances, 

and education. Lead organizations and initiatives: Promise Heights Community Schools, 

BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic 

Vibrancy. 

 Strategy (P): Engage young people in mapping assets and potential assets in their 

neighborhoods that could provide opportunities for safe, meaningful engagement during 

non-school hours and support development, restoration, maintenance and quality 

programming for these assets. Implementation of this strategy includes an upcoming asset 

mapping activity with the goal of engaging young people in the community to help with the 

process. Another activity is youth involvement in the planning and execution of the 

restoration of vacant parcels and lots into green spaces. Lead organizations and initiatives: 

Baltimore City Health Department, GM Research and Training Inc., Druid Heights CDC, Green 

Thumb Program, Peace Parks, Johns Hopkins Urban Health Initiative. 

 Strategy (P): Increase opportunities for youth participation and leadership in 

neighborhood, school and city improvement efforts. This strategy includes efforts to 

involve youth in monthly community meetings ensuring that youth voices are heard and 

youth involvement in organizations such as the Baltimore City Youth Commission, Youth 

Leadership, and Advocacy Network, and the McElderry Park Teen Council continues. 

Volunteer and employment opportunities for youth within Baltimore City Recreation and 

Parks (BCRP) support this strategy, as well as opportunities for youth to sit on the BCRP teen 

council. Lead organizations and initiatives: BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, 

McElderry Park Teen Council, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, B’More Health 

Communities for Kids. 

 Strategy (I): Conduct an annual survey on the availability and appropriateness of 

meaningful opportunities and safe, supportive places for young people in neighborhoods 

highly impacted by violence. This strategy is implemented through efforts such as 

community engagement projects, where young people are asked to express their concerns 

about safety in the neighborhood, and through surveys administered at all recreation 

facilities across through the city. Lead organizations and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, 

BUILD Health Challenge, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, the University of 

Baltimore/City Bureau of the Budget and Management Research. 
31

 Strategy (P): Provide access to physical releases for stress, such as exercising, working out, 

playing basketball, and dancing. This strategy includes efforts to incorporate basketball and 

Zumba into community mentoring programs and developing partnerships with

organizations to provide resources for dance, tai chi, and yoga. Baltimore City Recreation 

and Parks offers stress reducing activities such as fitness programs, swimming, martial arts, 

and other sports. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, 

The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, Urban Foli, BUILD Health 

Challenge, Druid Heights CDC. 

Goal 5: People and neighborhoods have economic opportunities

“The city is isolated and we don’t have connections to the outside 

to help young people get out and experience something new. 

People think that jobs in the industries are not for them. They 

think that drugs are the only option.”

– Youth focus group participant

Outcomes 

 Over the next five to ten years, increase the percentage of the population (ages 16-24) 

participating in the labor force and employed.

 Over the next five to ten years, decrease the citywide unemployment rate and close the 

disparity with other jurisdictions in Maryland.

 Over the next five to ten years, increase the percentage of youth residents reporting 

earnings higher than the minimum wage. 

 Over the next five to ten years, increase the number of residents that report working 

within the city limits. 

Background and Rationale

Poverty and high unemployment rates are major risk factors for violence, particularly in areas 

with high concentrations of disadvantage. Neighborhoods without employment opportunities 

deny residents the means to earn a living wage as part of the mainstream economy, and people 

without access to job training, support services, and loans and investment capital may turn 

toward drug-dealing or other illegal activities for income.xliii

Violence also contributes to diminished economic opportunities for neighborhoods. Violence 

and lack of safety discourage investment in cities and neighborhoods, and fear of violence 

interferes with people’s shopping habits and ability to travel to work and stores. 
32

On the other hand, employment and economic opportunities protects against violence. 

Economic development has contributed to the reduction in violence rates in many cities 

throughout the U.S.xliv Communities have benefitted from reductions in violence due to 

increased economic opportunities for residents, and small business growth.xlv xlvi

Ongoing and enhanced strategies, activities, and lead organizations/initiatives

The following are the key ongoing and enhanced strategies that will be a focus of 

implementation for Goal 5 between 2015-2017. Each strategy is focused on prevention, 

intervention, enforcement and/or re-entry (PIER). The set of strategies take a balanced 

approach of including all categories. The category(ies) of each strategy is indicated. The key 

activities, and lead/organizations and initiatives for implementation of each strategy are noted. 

 Strategy (E,R): Remove barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals and 

others who have had contact with the juvenile or adult/criminal justice system. For 

example, Baltimore City State’s Attorney created the Aim to B’More program for nonviolent youth offenders (ages 18 to 27) and the program includes record expungement, 

internship, and finding employment.xlvii Implementation this strategy will also include

programs such as Druid Height’s Job Readiness Program, which can provide assistance with 

resumes and job interviews and provide a list of employers who hire youth who have had 

previous contact with the juvenile justice system. Lead organizations and initiatives:

Mayor’s Office of Human Services-Reentry, Baltimore Police Department – Community 

Collaboration Division, Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Druid Heights CDC, BUILD 

Health Challenge, GM Research and Training Inc. 

 Strategy (P): Work with large employers to develop summer and year-round internships, 

fellowships, apprenticeships and part-time and full-time jobs for Baltimore youth. 

Implementing this strategy includes efforts by community-based organizations to provide 

youth employment referrals to large employers such as Home Depot, the Maryland Food 

Bank, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and Gibson Porter Landscaping company. This strategy also 

includes collaborative efforts between Baltimore City Recreation and Parks and the Mayor’s 

Office of Employment Development to offer summer employment opportunities for youth. 

Lead organizations and initiatives: Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Baltimore 

City Recreation and Parks, Druid Heights CDC, BUILD Health Challenge, theCONNECT 

(Baltimore City Opportunity Youth Coalition). 

 Strategy (P,I,E,R): Expand Safe Streets Baltimore and Operation Ceasefire to 

neighborhoods most impacted by violence, which can facilitate conditions that support 

economic development. Implementation of this strategy entails continuing to investigate 

the steps to expand Safe Streets into other communities and developing a partnership 

between Safe Streets and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks. Lead organizations and 

initiatives: Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, BUILD 
33

Health Challenge, McElderry Park, Druid Heights CDC , Park Heights Renaissance, Johns 

Hopkins Center to Prevent Youth Violence. 

 Strategy (P): Establish opportunities for all young people to learn about multiple career 

paths through information exchange, internships, and apprenticeships and bolster literacy 

and vocational skills to maximize entry into desired careers and fields. This strategy 

includes creating partnerships to establish opportunities for youth to learn about multiple 

career paths, holding workshops that cover topics such as resume writing and how to dress 

for success, and programs such as Youth Works through the Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development. Lead organizations and initiatives: Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development, Druid Heights CDC, BUILD Health Challenge, Behavioral Health System 

Baltimore, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, theCONNECT (Baltimore City Opportunity 

Youth Collaborative). 

 Strategy (P,E): Institute planning, zoning and land use strategies that reduce alcohol outlet 

density, increase lighting and visibility, promote pedestrian/foot traffic, and increase 

‘eyes on the street’, such as using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

(CPTED) principles and engage public works, property owners and landlords to reduce 

blight and graffiti and promote community art and mural projects, all of which is more 

welcoming for investment. This strategy includes efforts by community-based 

organizations to strategize with community members on ways to improve lighting and 

safety and increase the number of community gardens and murals in neighborhoods. Lead 

organizations and initiatives: Druid Heights CDC, BUILD Health Challenge, and Baltimore 

Police Department. 

 Strategy (P): Engage business leaders, investors and neighborhood residents in prioritizing 

economic development that will serve the needs of the community; establish Business 

Improvement Districts. Implementation of this strategy includes providing impactful 

opportunities for youth to engage with businesses and promoting collaboration between 

community organizations, business owners, and organizations such as the Merchant’s 

Association to develop ways to prioritize economic development and provide employment 

opportunities. Lead organizations and initiatives: Baltimore Development Corporation, 

BUILD Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic 

Vibrancy. 

 Strategy (P): Tie job training and placement programs for community residents to 

neighborhood beautification/maintenance and infrastructure and commerce 

development. This strategy includes the employment of young people as environmental 

stewards within community-based organizations, employing youth to support the art 

merchandising needs of communities, and creating teams of youth to clean up 

neighborhoods, recycle, and help maintain alleyways, roads, vacant lots, and houses. Lead 

organizations and initiatives: Department of Juvenile Services, Department of Public Works, 
34

The Green Cadet Program, The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy, BUILD 

Health Challenge, Druid Heights CDC. 

PILOT IMPLEMENTATION SITES AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Neighborhoods for pilot implementation of 

the plan were selected based on high violent 

crime rates and ongoing collaborative work 

between city agencies and partner community

and faith-based organizations. 

An overview map of these locations appears 

at right. For a more detailed map, see 

Appendix D.

Initial pilot neighborhoods and community

and faith- based organizations include:

 Druid-Heights and Upton: DruidHeights Development Corporation

 McElderry Park: Center for Graceful 

Living, Amazing Grace Church, 

McElderry Park Community 

Association, Banner Neighborhoods, 

and Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation 

(BCJI) Revitalization Coalition:

 Park Heights (Arlington, Central Park Heights, Cylburn, Greenspring, Langston Hughes, 

Levindale, Lucille Park, Park Circle, Parklane, Pimlico Good Neighbors, TowandaGrantley, Woodmere): Park Heights Renaissance

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! COLLABORATIVE STRUCTURE

The release of this Plan marks the formalization of the B’More for Youth! Collaborative and the 

Mayor’s charge to the collaborative to implement the Plan’s goals and strategies. As shown in 

the diagram on the following page, the collaborative structure includes: Co-Chairs, Citywide 

Coordinating Team, Data and Evaluation Team, Druid Heights/Upton Pilot Neighborhood Team, 

Park Heights Pilot Neighborhood Team, McElderry Park Pilot Neighborhood Team, and 

Baltimore City Health Department Staff. The Citywide Coordinating Team includes members 

that are considered to be a part of a Core team, as indicated, and members who are a part of 

the Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet.
35

B’More for Youth! Collaborative Structure

Citywide Coordinating Team 

Data and 

Evaluation Team

Includes Core Team Data 

Staff and Academic 

Institutions

(JHU, UMD)

Druid Heights/Upton 

Pilot Neighborhood

 Residents

 CBOs

 Youth

 Businesses

 Faith

Park Heights Pilot 

Neighborhood

 Residents

 CBOs

 Youth

 Businesses

 Faith

McElderry Park Pilot

Neighborhood

 Residents

 CBOs

 Youth

 Businesses

 Faith

 Co-Chairs:

Leana Wen, MD, M.Sc., Honorable Kurt Schmoke, Shaleece Williams

 Commissioner of Health President, Univ. of Baltimore Youth Program Director, 

 & Former Mayor of Baltimore Druid Heights CDC

 Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice *+

 Mayor’s Office of Employment Development *+

 Mayor’s Youth Commission *

 Mayor’s Office of Human

Services *+

 Baltimore City Health Dept. *+

 Chair BCHD Health and Wellness *

 Baltimore Police Dept. *+

 Baltimore City Schools *+

 Baltimore City Recreation and Parks *+

 Baltimore City State Attorney’s Office

 Maryland Department of Public Safety and 

Correctional Services

 Baltimore City Housing +

 Baltimore City Department of Planning

 Baltimore Development Corporation

 Build Faith Collaborative

 Maryland Department of Juvenile Services +

 Baltimore City Department of Social 

Services *+

 Behavioral Health System Baltimore *

 Family League of Baltimore +

 Criminal Justice Coordinating Council

 Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of 

Youth Violence

 Maryland Coalition of Families

 University of Maryland Shock Trauma

 U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban 

Development/Baltimore Regional Office

* = Core team

+ =Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet member agency

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff

 Director, Office 

of Youth 

Violence 

Prevention

 Epidemiologist

 Youth Violence 

Prevention 

Coordinator
36

B’MORE FOR YOUTH! COLLABORATIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

THE CO-CHAIRS will provide oversight and policy guidance, and will be accountable for moving 

the work forward. Dr. Leana Wen (Baltimore City Commissioner of Health), Honorable Kurt 

Schmoke (former Mayor of Baltimore), and Ms. Shaleece Williams (youth representative) will 

facilitate quarterly meetings, to assess the implementation progress, receive updated 

assessments, review committee reports and provide strategic direction to the Citywide 

Coordinating Team.

THE CITYWIDE COORDINATING TEAM is comprised of representatives from multiple sectors 

that represent prevention, intervention, enforcement, and re-entry strategies, including 

community and faith-based organizations, Baltimore City Staff, the Core Coordinating Team, 

and a community-based representative and youth representative from each of the Pilot 

Neighborhood Teams (Druid Heights/Upton, Park Heights, and McElderry Park). The Citywide 

Coordinating team includes significant representation from the agencies that comprise the 

Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet. The citywide coordinating team will meet quarterly and will be 

responsible for coordinating all aspects of implementation, evaluation, and monitoring at the 

neighborhood and citywide levels. 

THE CORE COORDINATING TEAM is comprised of key agencies within the Citywide 

Coordinating Team who will provide on-the-ground, day-to-day coordination for all aspects of 

implementation, evaluation, and monitoring. The Core Coordinating Team will meet monthly

and led by Baltimore City Health Department’s Office of Youth Violence Prevention.

THE DATA AND EVALUATION TEAM will track key outcome indicators and will work on 

developing outcome driven programs, as well as evaluating current programs for outcomes and 

effectiveness. The Data Working Group will include an epidemiologist, a research analyst, at 

least two members from higher education institutions, and two leaders of community-based 

organizations (one faith-based). The group will continue to evaluate existing data resources 

and seek out potential new sources, citywide and detailed data in the implementation areas. 

The group will track meetings with city agencies and community partners to help determine the 

most salient datasets and what is feasible. Contacts, data, and reports will be collected and 

organized in a central location. The group will also help to promote and recommend the posting 

of additional datasets to Baltimore City’s Open Data Portal. The group will explore creating 

“story-maps” and maps created by Baltimore youth to help visualize problems and potential 

solutions about violence and health in Baltimore City. The group will meet on regular basis with 

the Collaborative and its various teams, as well as with local colleges and universities and the 

City’s OutcomeStat office, to ensure that implementation efforts are informed by data and 

evaluation findings.

THE DRUID HEIGHTS/UPTON , McELDERRY PARK, and PARK HEIGHTS PILOT NEIGHBORHOOD 

TEAMS will be comprised of a diverse and robust group of community- and faith-based 
37

organizations, community residents, and others, who will adapt and implement strategies at 

the neighborhood level. A community-based representative and a youth representative from 

this team will participate in the Citywide Coordinating Team. These representatives will 

participate in Citywide activities, including coordinated evaluation and monitoring. 

THE BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TEAM will be responsible for ongoing dedicated 

staffing of the collaborative. Staff will coordinate activities, facilitate communication between 

key sectors and the community, provide staffing support to the collaborative and the various 

teams, implement activities, and help ensure accountability.
38

WORK PLAN, 2015-2017

The following Work plan identifies some of the key activities that will be implemented between 

October 2015 and October 2017 in the areas of: pilot neighborhood implementation (Druid 

Heights/Upton, McElderry Park, and Park Heights Neighborhood); data, evaluation and 

monitoring, Citywide youth, community and stakeholder engagement; training; 

communications; fund development; and ongoing meetings and coordination activities of the 

Co-Chairs, Citywide Coordinating Team, Core Coordinating Team, and Baltimore City Health 

Department staff.

Druid Heights/Upton Pilot Neighborhood

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Launch site Q1 All parties

Number of meetings

Amount of time spent meeting as a 

group and between meetings (in 

days/weeks/months) 

Identify youth liaison to 

solicit youth feedback Q1

Druid 

Heights/Upton 

Team members

Youth participation (number)

Implement and evaluate 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies. 

Monthly 

meetings

Druid 

Heights/Upton 

Team members, 

Citywide 

Coordinating Team, 

and Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of new ideas, decisions, and 

changes pursued

Number signed-off, approved by group

Number in progress, delayed, and 

completed

Number of handoffs (work passed to 

another entity)

Participate in 

establishing baseline 

outcome data with data 

and evaluation team. 

Q1

Data and Evaluation 

Team and Druid 

Heights/Upton 

Team members

Number of new datasets and reports 

identified; Number of informal 

agreements

Number of formal agreements 

(including MOUs/MOAs)

Survey of the satisfaction of forum 

members and youth with the 

implementation process

Number of online “story” maps created 

by youth
39

Number of blogs, articles, or related 

briefs published.

Explore creation of a 

cross-site B’More for 

Youth club. 

Q1

Youth Co-Chair, 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff, and all Pilot 

Site Members

Yes/No

Conduct neighborhood 

engagement efforts to 

promote and solicit 

feedback on 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies. 

Ongoing

Druid 

Heights/Upton 

Team members, 

and Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of attendees: Youth, City 

agency, Community partners, etc.

Number and reason if partners 

disengage.

Meet quarterly with 

other sites to provide 

cross-site support. 

Quarterly

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

and all Pilot Site 

Members

Number of meetings; Amount of time 

spent meeting as a group and between 

meetings (in days/weeks/months); 

Number of meetings rescheduled/postponed/cancelled and 

reason; Number of attendees

McElderry Park Pilot Neighborhood

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Launch site Q1 All parties

Number of meetings

Amount of time spent meeting as a 

group and between meetings (in 

days/weeks/months) 

Identify youth liaison to 

solicit youth feedback Q1 McElderry Park Team members Youth participation (number)

Implement and evaluate 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies. 

Monthly 

meetings; 

ongoing

McElderry Park

Team members, 

Citywide 

Coordinating Team, 

and Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of new ideas, decisions, and 

changes pursued

Number signed-off, approved by group

Number in progress, delayed, and 

completed

Number of handoffs (work passed to 

another entity)

Participate in 

establishing baseline 

outcome data with data 

and evaluation team.

Q1

Data and Evaluation 

Team and 

McElderry Park 

Team members

Number of new datasets and reports 

identified; Number of informal 

agreements

Number of formal agreements 

(including MOUs/MOAs)

Survey of the satisfaction of forum 
40

members and youth with the 

implementation process

Number of online “story” maps created 

by youth

Number of blogs, articles, or related 

briefs published.

Explore creation of a 

cross-site B’More for 

Youth club.

Q1

Youth Co-Chair, 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff, and all Pilot 

Site Members

Yes/No

Conduct neighborhood 

engagement efforts to 

promote and solicit 

feedback on 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies.

Ongoing

McElderry Park

Team members, 

and Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of attendees: Youth, City 

agency, Community partners, etc.

Number and reason if partners 

disengage.

Meet quarterly with 

other sites to provide 

cross-site support.

Quarterly 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

and all Pilot Site 

Members

Number of meetings; Amount of time 

spent meeting as a group and between 

meetings (in days/weeks/months); 

Number of meetings rescheduled/postponed/cancelled and 

reason; Number of attendees

Park Heights Pilot Neighborhood

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Launch site Q1 All parties

Number of meetings

Amount of time spent meeting as a 

group and between meetings (in 

days/weeks/months) 

Identify youth liaison to 

solicit youth feedback Q1 Park Heights Team members Youth participation (number)

Implement and evaluate 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies. 

Monthly 

meetings; 

ongoing

Park Heights Team 

members, Citywide 

Coordinating Team, 

and Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of new ideas, decisions, and 

changes pursued

Number signed-off, approved by group

Number in progress, delayed, and 

completed

Number of handoffs (work passed to 

another entity)

Participate in 

establishing baseline Q1 Data and Evaluation Team and Park 

Number of new datasets and reports 

identified; Number of informal 
41

outcome data with data 

and evaluation team.

Heights Team 

members

agreements

Number of formal agreements 

(including MOUs/MOAs)

Survey of the satisfaction of forum 

members and youth with the 

implementation process

Number of online “story” maps created 

by youth

Number of blogs, articles, or related 

briefs published.

Explore creation of a 

cross-site B’More for 

Youth club.

Q1

Youth Co-Chair, 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff, and all Pilot 

Site Members

Yes/No

Conduct neighborhood 

engagement efforts to 

promote and solicit 

feedback on 

neighborhood-specific 

priority strategies.

Ongoing

Park Heights Team 

members, Data and 

Evaluation Team

Number of attendees: Youth, City 

agency, Community partners, etc.

Number and reason if partners 

disengage.

Meet quarterly with 

other sites to provide 

cross-site support.

Quarterly 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

and all Pilot Site 

Members

Number of meetings; Amount of time 

spent meeting as a group and between 

meetings (in days/weeks/months); 

Number of meetings rescheduled/postponed/cancelled and 

reason; Number of attendees

Data, Evaluation, and Monitoring

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Determine integrated 

data sharing needs and 

mechanisms, including 

tracking of key 

indicators and other 

evaluation needs. 

Ongoing

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; CoChairs

 Number of new datasets and 

reports identified

 Number of informal 

agreements

 Number of formal agreements 

(including MOUs/MOAs)

Establish baseline for 

outcomes for 3 pilot 

neighborhoods.

Q1

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members

Number of blogs, articles, or related 

briefs published.

Conduct an assessment 

of the needs of each 

pilot neighborhood, 

including data 

Q1

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members; Citywide 

Number of assessments conducted.
42

collection, stakeholder 

input, and key informant 

interviews. 

Coordinating Team

Write evaluation plan 

specifying objectives, 

evaluation questions, 

and indicators and 

delineate timeline and 

who is responsible for 

each component of 

evaluation. 

Q1-Q2

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members; Citywide 

Coordinating Team

Completion: Yes/No

Develop evaluation 

questions to assess the 

effectiveness of the plan 

implementation and 

whether proposed 

change moved in the 

expected direction. 

Q2 Data and Evaluation 

Team members

Number and quality of questions 

developed.

Consider developing a 

Community Safety 

Scorecard or other 

measurement tool to 

track measures and 

communicate broadly 

about efforts and 

impact.

Q2 Data and Evaluation 

Team members Completion: Yes/No

Compile data and share 

with teams Q4

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members

Number of data sharing sessions

Map data collected for 

each pilot neighborhood Q4

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members

Number of online “story” maps created 

by youth

Provide periodic 

progress reports to City 

Council, CitiStat Office, 

and others as 

appropriate.

ongoing

Data and Evaluation 

Team members; 

Pilot Team 

Members; Core 

Coordinating Team

Number of reports, length between

Disseminate results via 

reports, newsletters, 

news releases/press 

conferences, journal 

articles, workshops, 

public meetings, 

discussions with city 

officials and 

Q7-Q8 Data and Evaluation 

Team members

Number of blogs, articles, or related 

briefs published.
43

stakeholders, etc. 

Citywide Youth, Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Conduct broader 

citywide community and 

stakeholder engagement 

efforts to promote and 

solicit feedback and 

engagement on vision 

and priorities

Ongoing

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members and 

others as 

appropriate

Number of community events; number 

attended by media/press events 

Conduct community 

engagement meetings 

and listening sessions to 

gather community input 

on priorities and 

strategies. 

Ongoing

Pilot Team 

Members and 

Citywide 

Coordinating Team

Number of engagement meetings; 

participation

Engage faith-based 

organizations in 

planning, priority 

setting, and 

implementation 

Ongoing 

Baltimore City 

Health Department, 

Pilot Team 

Members

Number of faith-based organizations 

participating and size of membership

Engage the business 

sector in planning, 

priority setting, and 

implementation

Ongoing Core Coordinating 

Team

Number of businesses involved (small, 

medium, large).

Engage youth in 

planning, priority 

setting, and 

implementation

Ongoing All parties Number of youth involved

Involve community 

members in B’More for 

youth governance 

Ongoing All parties Number of community members 

involved

Training

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Identify groups to 

benefit from training 

and establish a training 

plan

Q1

Citywide 

Coordination Team 

members and 

others as 

appropriate 

Training plan complete: Yes/No

Develop training 

materials Q2 Core CoordinatingTeam Number of training materials created

Conduct training and 

other capacity building 

efforts for practitioners, 

service providers, 

program and agency 

Quarterly 

training 

activities 

Core Coordinating 

Team, Baltimore 

City Health 

Department

Number of training sessions
44

directors, elected 

officials

Communications

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Announce the B’more 

for Youth! Collaborative 

plan 

Q1

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members and 

others as 

appropriate

Completed: Yes/No

Hold a release event Q1-Q2 All parties Completed: Yes/No

Develop a plan to share 

information about the 

plan and its goals widely

Q1

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

and Core

Coordinating Team

Creation of a centralized public 

website/workspace/social media 

account (Facebook or Twitter) and 

updating a current Access Database for 

contacts and Baltimore Forum 

Members.

Develop collateral 

products/talking points 

for participants to use 

with their constituents 

and partners

Q2-Q3 Baltimore City 

Health Department

Completed: Yes/No

Engage the media Q3

Core Coordinating 

Team, Baltimore 

City Health 

Department

Number of media outlets, stories

Fund Development

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Develop a funding plan 

that includes a mix of 

philanthropic asks, inkind contributions and 

potential tax measures 

or other funding 

supports to 

institutionalize 

operations into city 

government and ensure 

sustainability 

Ongoing

Core Coordinating

Team members and 

others as 

appropriate

Completed: Yes/No

Establish priority areas 

for fund allocation Ongoing

Core Coordinating

Team, Data and 

Evaluation Team

Completed: Yes/No

Co-Chairs

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Develop structure for 

accountability Q1 Co-Chairs and Core Coordinating Team Completed: Yes/No

Elicit multiple Ongoing Co-Chairs, Citywide Number of partnerships
45

partnerships between 

the public and private 

sector

Coordinating Team, 

and Pilot Team 

Members

Coordinate financial and 

staffing resources to 

ensure they are directed 

to preventing violence 

Ongoing Co-Chairs and Core 

Coordinating Team Number of collaborations

Serve as lead framer or 

spokesperson in the eye 

of the public, insisting 

that violence must end

Ongoing

Co-Chairs and 

Baltimore City 

Health Department

Completed: Yes/No

Develop potential multisector partnerships to 

prevent violence

Ongoing Co-Chairs and Core 

Coordinating Team Number of multi-sector partnerships

Continually represent a 

unified voice that 

articulates shared sense 

of purpose and direction 

for preventing violence

Ongoing

Co-Chairs and 

Citywide 

Coordinating Team

Completed: Yes/No

Citywide Coordination Team

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Oversee citywide 

coordination

Ongoing; 

meet 

quarterly

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members

Completed: Yes/No

Develop structure for 

accountability Q1

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members

Completed: Yes/No

Develop structure for 

collaboration among 

organizations and team 

members

Q1

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members

Completed: Yes/No

Identify community 

liaison to ensure 

ongoing representation 

of community voice

Q1

Citywide 

Coordinating Team 

members

Number of liaisons identified

Annual review and 

updates of the plan and 

progress

Q4

Citywide 

Coordination Team, 

All parties and 

neighborhoods 

teams

Completed: Yes/No, Findings

Core Coordination Team

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Coordinate and oversee

all aspects of 

implementation

Monthly 

meetings; 

ongoing

Core Coordinating

Team 

members/Baltimore 

City Health 

Department Staff

Completed: Yes/No
46

Develop structure for 

collaboration among 

agencies

Q1

Core Coordinating

Team 

members/Baltimore 

City Health 

Department Staff

Completed: Yes/No

Coordinate training 

efforts Q2

Core Coordinating

Team 

members/Baltimore 

City Health 

Department Staff

Completed: Yes/No

Coordinate 

communications effort Q3

Core Coordinating

Team 

members/Baltimore 

City Health 

Department Staff

Number of joint communications

Baltimore City Health Department Staff

Tasks Timeline Responsible Parties Performance Measures (Outputs)

Develop structure for 

accountability Q1

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff

Completed: Yes/No

Develop appropriate 

sub-committees for 

implementation

Q1

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff

Completed: Yes/No

Ensure continuous 

coordination of Core 

Coordination team

Ongoing 

Baltimore City 

Health Department 

Staff

Completed: Yes/No
47

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Key Stakeholder Interview Participants and Youth Focus Group Organizers

Listed alphabetically by last name

Key Stakeholder Interview Participants

 Ernest Dorsey, Assistant Director, Youth Services, Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development 

 Marshall Goodwin, Chief, Baltimore City School Police 

 Charles Harper, Youth Commission Chair for Violence Prevention, Mayor’s Youth 

Commission 

 Angela Johnese, former Director, Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice

 Dwain Johnson, Regional Director Baltimore City, Departmental of Juvenile Services

 Dawn Kirstaetter, Deputy Mayor, City of Baltimore 

 Franklin Lance, Doctor of Ministry, Senior Pastor, Mount Lebanon Baptist Church 

 Dr. Phillip Leaf, Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for the 

Prevention of Youth Violence and Urban Health Institute

 Dr. Rita Mattison, Director of Prevention Services, Behavioral Health System Baltimore

 Bernard McBride, former Executive Director, Behavioral Health System Baltimore

 Jamaal Moses, Former Executive Director, Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families

 Lynn Mumma, Director of Family Resources, Behavioral Health System Baltimore 

 Amanda Owens, Program Officer, Criminal Justice & Addictions, Abell Foundation 

 Senator Elect Shirley Nathan Pulliam, District 44

 Jonathan Rondeau, Chief Executive Office, Family League of Baltimore City

 David Thompson, Interim Director, Baltimore Department of Social Services

 Dr. Marie Washington, Chief Executive Officer, East Baltimore Community Corporation 

 Karen Webber-Ndour, Executive Director, Student Support, Baltimore City Schools

Youth, Focus Group and Community Listening Session Organizers

Many thanks to participating youth and the following people who were instrumental in making 

youth focus groups and listening sessions possible: Dwain Johnson and Wallis Norman from the

Department of Juvenile Services; Terra L. Harris and Lisa Steeple from the Thomas J. S. Waxter 

Children’s Center; Lewis Smith, Allen Blackwell and Ricky Moyd Jr. from the Baltimore City 

Health Department; Ernest Dorsey from the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; Allison 

Burgundi from YO! Eastside Community Center; and Sharon Leeds from Westside YO!
48

Appendix B: Planning Group Members and Key Stakeholders in the Planning Process

Listed alphabetically by last name

Anthony Batts, Former Police Commissioner 

Baltimore City Police

Alternate: Ganesha Martin, former Chief of 

Staff/current Chief Department of Justice 

Compliance Division

Kristin Blumer, Director of Community Affairs

Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office

Anjelene Branch, 

Director, Violence Prevention Initiative

Departmental of Juvenile Services

Devon Brown, Area Manager

Department of Recreation and Parks

Shani Buggs, VCREI Coordinator and Policy 

Analyst

Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice

Aisha Burgess, Director of Dating Matters

Baltimore City Health Department

Stella Clanton, Director of Programs

Department of Recreation and Parks

William Cole, Chief Executive Officer

Baltimore Development Corporation

Damion J. Cooper, Director

Office of Neighborhood Relations

City Council President's Office

Shannon Cosgrove, former Deputy Director

Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice

Vu Dang, Assistant Deputy Mayor 

Health, Human Services, Education, and Youth

Gary Dittman, Pastor 

Amazing Grace Lutheran Church

Ernest Dorsey, Director of Youth Opportunity 

Division

Mayor’s Office of Employment Development

Alternate: Donnice Brown, Administrator

Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, PhD., Executive 

Director, Mayor’s Office of Human Services

Shannon Egan, Special Assistant

Offices of Emergency Management and Public 

Safety

Tracey Estep, Chief

Recreation Center Operations Department of 

Recreation and Parks

Olivia Farrow, Deputy Commissioner

Youth Wellness and Community Health

Baltimore City Health Department

David Garza, Economic Development Officer 

Baltimore Development Corporation

Marshall Goodwin, Chief

Baltimore City School Police

Alternate: Akil Hamm, Major

Jonathan Gross, Epidemiologist

Office of Youth Violence Prevention 

Baltimore City Health Department

Lieutenant Colonel Melissa Hyatt, Chief of

Patrol Division Baltimore Police Department

Angela Johnese, former Director

Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice
49

Dwain Johnson, Regional Director Baltimore 

City 

Department of Juvenile Services

Dawn Kirstaetter, Deputy Mayor

City of Baltimore

Franklin Lance, Senior Pastor

Mount Lebanon Baptist Church

Dedra D. Layne, Director Safe Streets

Baltimore City Health Department

Phillip Leaf, Ph.D., Director

Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of 

Youth Violence and Urban Health Institute

Glenn Love, Director of Equity

Family League of Baltimore

Rita Mattison, Director of Prevention

Behavioral Health System Baltimore

Bernard McBride, former Executive Director

Behavioral Health System Baltimore

Demaune Millard, Chief Strategy Officer

Family League of Baltimore City

Rena Mohamed

Baltimore City Department of Social Services

Glenda Mosley, CEO

GM Research and Training, Inc.

Ricky T. Moyd Jr., Research Analyst Operation 

Safe Kids

Baltimore City Health Department

Lynn Mumma, Director of Family Resources 

Behavioral Health System of Baltimore

Kerry R. Owings, Manager

YO! Westside Community Center

Mayor’s Office of Employment Development

Amanda Owens, Program Officer

Abell Foundation

Carol Payne, Field Office Director

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 

Development

Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Russell, 

Commander

Community Collaboration Division 

Baltimore City Police Department

Brandon Scott, City Councilman

City of Baltimore

Lewis Smith, Director

Office of Youth Violence Prevention 

Baltimore City Health Department

Maurissa Stone-Bass, CEO

The Living Well

Sabrina Sutton, Special Assistant

Mayor’s Youth Commission

Theodore Thompson, Deputy Chief

Academic Officer, Baltimore City Public Schools

Gregory Thornton, Chief Executive Officer

Baltimore City Public Schools

Kim Trueheart

Citizen of Baltimore City

Marie Washington, Ph.D. 

Chief Executive Officer

East Baltimore Community Corporation

Dr. Leana Wen, Commissioner

Baltimore City Health Department

Hope Williams-Blanton, Special Assistant

Office of Congressman Elijah Cummings
50

Appendix C: Baseline Data for Overarching Outcomes in Baltimore City

All data and graphs are for Baltimore City, unless otherwise specified 

Percent of Respondents to the Annual Citizen Survey that 

Feel "Safe" or "Very Safe" in Their Neighborhood at Nighttime

Source: The percent that feel safe/very safe has remained consistent (~60 percent) over the time period. 

Baltimore Citizen Survey. Data available at: http://bbmr.baltimorecity.gov/OutcomeBudgeting/CitizenSurvey.aspx. 

Number and Crude Rate of Arrests per 100 for Youth under 25 Years Old

Sources: Baltimore City Police Department. Population estimates for ages 10 to 24 were from CDC Wonder, RaceBridged Population Estimates, http://wonder.cdc.gov/bridged-race-population.html. Crude rates -- not age 

adjusted. An indirect standardized arrest ratio (2012) finds the arrest rate among Baltimore youth is more than 

twice as high as expected based on population size compared to arrest rates for youth nationally.

68% 68% 64% 66% 69%

62%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Percent Feel Safe/Very Safe

19,092

17,034

15,038

15.1

13.8

12.5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

2012 2013 2014

Rate

Number of Arrests

Number

Rate per 100

youth under

25
51

Juvenile Diversion to Arrest Ratio

Year Year-to-Date as of July

2013 1:12

2014 1:11

2015 1:8

Source: For each diversion of a juvenile to other resources, 8 juveniles are arrested. 

Baltimore City Police Department/Juvenile Booking Data Analysis Unit, Juvenile Arrest Monthly Report.

Juvenile Homicide (All Weapons) and Non-Fatal Shooting Victims, 

January 2003 to Mid-Sept 2015

Source: Baltimore City Police Department

35 31

13

28 27 28

16 12 15 11 10 15 17

76 75

74

85

101 88

56

36 20 18 22 13

39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Number Juvenile of Victims

Juvenile Non-Fatal Shooting

Juvenile Homicide Victims
52

Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC): Relative Rate Index (RRI) for Arrests

How to interpret: For example, the youth (18 to 24) RRI means that arrest rates for black youth were

more than triple the white arrest rate. Sources: Juvenile RRI as reported in the Data Resource Guide from 

the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, 2014. Page 211.

http://www.djs.maryland.gov/drg/Full_2014_DRG.pdf. Youth (18-24): Calculated based on arrest data 

from Open Baltimore, https://data.baltimorecity.gov/Public-Safety/BPD-Arrests/3i3v-ibrt. Population 

estimates were from CDC Wonder, Race-Bridged Population Estimates, http://wonder.cdc.gov/bridgedrace-population.html.

Local, State, and National Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) 

Adverse Childhood or 

Family Experiences 

(ACEs)

Baltimore City Maryland National

Extreme economic 

hardship

34.2% 20.1% 25.7%

Family disorder leading 

to divorce/separation

22.1% 16.9% 20.1%

Has lived with 

someone who had an 

alcohol/drug problem

10.2% 8.3% 10.7%

Has been a 

victim/witness of 

neighborhood violence

13.2% 7.9% 8.6%

Has lived with 

someone who was 

mentally ill/suicidal

11.1% 7.2% 8.6%

Witnessed domestic 

violence in the home

8.6% 6.3% 7.3%

Parent served in jail 9.9% 6.1% 6.9%

Treated or judged 

unfairly due to 

race/ethnicity

6.4% 3.9% 4.1%
53

Adverse Childhood or 

Family Experiences 

(ACEs)

Baltimore City Maryland National

Death of parent 5.4% 2.7% 3.1%

Child had 1 or more of 

the above items

56.3% 41.6% 47.9%

Source: Nearly one-third of children in Baltimore City have two or more ACEs. ChildHealthData.org and The Child 

Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI). http://childhealthdata.org/docs/local-area-synthetic-estimates/adversechildhood-experiences-among-baltimore-maryland-s-children.pdf?Status=Master

Percent of Students Absent for More Than 20 Days, Who Were Enrolled 

for at Least 90 Days during the School Year

Source: Maryland State Department of Education, http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/. High School 

attendance available at: http://goo.gl/A09brY. 

16.3 16.4

42.2

13.2 15.9

41.3

15.8 16.1

39.8

17.4 17.2

40.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Elementary Middle High

Percent Chronically Absent

2011

2012

2013

2014
54

Number of Suspensions and Expulsions in a School Year

Source: School Survey – District Level Results, 2007 to 2015. Baltimore City Public School System. Data 

available at: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/Page/24839

Percent of students that feel their school prepares them for 

college or to have a career

Source: School Survey – District Level Results, 2007 to 2015. Baltimore City Public School System. Data 

available at: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/Page/24839

11,394

8,659

7,550

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

SY 2011-2012 SY 2012-2013 SY 2013-2014

Number

School Year (SY)

74.5 75.8 77

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

SY 2013 SY 2014 SY 2015

Percent

School Year (SY)
55

Grade 12 Documented Decisions 

Percent

Attend a Four-year college 41.8

Attend a Two-year college 37.7

Specialized school or training ≤5.0

Enter employment (related to HS Program) ≤5.0

Enter employment (unrelated to HS Program) 6.7

Enter the military ≤5.0

Enter full-time employment and school 16.7

Enter part-time employment and/or school 51.3

Other and No Response 5.1

Source: Maryland State Department of Education, http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/ 

and http://goo.gl/2g6zx5. Completed questionnaires (2,713). As of 11/2014. 

Percent of City Schools Students Graduating and Enrolling in College the Fall 

after Graduation

Source: Durham RE, Westlund E. Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC). A Descriptive Look at College 

Enrollment and Degree Completion of Baltimore City Graduates. http://baltimoreberc.org/pdfs/CollegeEnrollmentFullReport.pdf. August 2011. Note: numbers can be artificially low and increase 

over time as data and reporting is updated.

48.9 49.6 49.8 48.7 46.8 44.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Percent Enrolled

Class
56

Number of Youth Employed via YouthWorks by Year

Source: Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED)

5,072 5,245

6,933

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

2013 2014 2015

Number of Youth
57

Appendix D: Map of Pilot Neighborhoods for Implementation
58

ENDNOTES

 

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