PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Whether it's a school shooting, a neighborhood shooting or an accidental shooting in the home, gun violence affects children, and their mental health needs to be prioritized, according to the dedicated workers at Child Guidance Resource Centers. They provide behavioral health services to children and families in Southeastern Pennsylvania, addressing issues such as suicide risk and the impact of gun violence on mental health.
“We are concerned about the prevalence of firearms and the access of guns in Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, and the lack of legislation to restrict access to guns,” said Michael Flannery, CGRC vice president of performance improvement.
CGRC advocates for more attention to safe storage and anything the government can do to reduce kids’ access to guns. This, as well as the effects of gun violence on children’s mental health are just a few topics for discussion at an upcoming community forum and resource fair in Philadelphia.
“We feel it's important for us to use this opportunity to share resources with the community. This is the community we serve and provide a way for better information between legislators, organizations and the people all around us, especially dealing with kids,” said Luana Scales, CGRC diversity, equity, and inclusion director.
Scales says gun violence is everywhere, but it seems to be more focused in underserved communities.
“So it's important for us to show the communities we serve that we care about them. We care about them, about their neighborhoods and how they feel about walking down their streets or sending their kids to school.”
CGRC will welcome the community to their office in Philadelphia’s Eastwick section on Saturday, Oct. 5, for a day of learning, understanding and interacting. It will be their second forum addressing the intersection of kids and gun violence.
The discussions will include representatives from organizations that deal with trauma, gun violence and families. The community is invited to ask questions, and will leave with information they can use to keep kids safe.
Michael Flannery, vice president of performance improvement, says CGRC wants legislators to prioritize funding for the community mental health system in Pennsylvania, as more clinicians are needed.
“There's a lot of evidence that the earlier people are seen by a mental health professional, the more likely they are to recover and the less services they may need in the long run. And we're hoping that that is something that we can get across to legislators.”