CFR Awarded $657,827 Grant for Trauma Care Expansion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council for Relationships Receives $657,827 Grant from Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care and Violence Prevention
Learn more about CFR’s Community Partnerships Initiative.
Philadelphia, PA – 01/10/2025 – Council for Relationships (CFR) is proud to announce the approval of a $657,827 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) for Violence Intervention and Prevention. This funding will specifically support CFR’s Community Partnerships Initiative (CPI), enabling CFR’s staff therapists and clinical interns to provide preventive, trauma-informed direct therapy services at no cost to schools and community organizations across Philadelphia.
This grant aligns with Pennsylvania’s broader efforts to address and prevent gun violence and other forms of violence through trauma-informed, mental health-centered approaches. CFR’s work in schools and the community is an important part of these efforts, helping young people and families build resilience and heal from trauma before violence escalates.
Lt. Governor Austin Davis, Chair of PCCD, highlighted the impact of organizations like CFR in community violence prevention: “I was impressed with how impactful these organizations have been and continue to be in their communities. They are doing important work, and the VIP program is an essential part of addressing the epidemic of gun violence and making our communities safer. I look forward to connecting with the large number of new recipients of this funding to learn about their innovative projects across the Commonwealth.”
PA State Senator Vincent Hughes echoed the importance of investing directly in community organizations: “This is money that’s going directly into communities to prevent gun violence and support important programs that will provide young people with more spaces, education, and opportunities to deter them from any type of crime. We created this program in 2018 to make sure the people and organizations who want to step up for their neighborhoods and change lives and minds have the resources they need. If we want community safety, we must invest in the people and programs that are making change at a local level.”
CFR has a longstanding commitment to providing trauma-informed therapy and violence prevention services, and this grant allows the organization to extend those efforts in schools and neighborhoods. By offering free, on-site therapeutic services through the CPI program, CFR will help students and families process trauma, build emotional resilience, and reduce the risk of violence.
Dr. Sara J. Corse, Director of CPI, had this to say about the PCCD grant: “When the trauma of violence directly touches someone, there is a ripple effect into the communities in which that person lives, loves, works, plays, goes to school, worships, etc. Because of the PCCD grant, CFR is able to impact whole communities affected by trauma. Whether a local elementary school is closely affected by gun violence, or first responders experience vicarious trauma, CPI is now positioned to help those impacted process, heal, and grow.”
The grant funds will enhance CFR’s outreach in the community by providing direct therapy, as well as training for school staff and community leaders on violence prevention and mental health best practices.
For more information about Council for Relationships and its programs, please visit www.councilforrelationships.org or contact Michael Fasano-McCarron, CFR’s Director of Communications & Development.
Contact
Michael Fasano-McCarron
Director of Communications & Development
Council for Relationships
t: 215-382-6680
e: mmccarron@councilforrelationships.org
About Council for Relationships
Council for Relationships is a nonprofit organization founded in 1932 with the mission to strengthen interpersonal connections through accessible, specialized, and expert individual, relationship, and family therapy, clinical training, and research. Our vision is a caring world through thriving relationships and flourishing communities. With programs like the Community Partnerships Initiative, CFR is committed to providing trauma-informed care and supporting the well-being of individuals and families, especially through free, preventive mental health services in schools and community settings throughout Philadelphia.