BALTIMORE — From 2016 to 2017, nearly half of the children in Baltimore have had an adverse childhood experience.
Nearly 30 percent had two or more.
That's why officials and experts are working to help kids overcome trauma in the city.
On Tuesday, Congressman Elijah Cummings hosted a forum on preventing, treating and healing childhood trauma. Dozens of officials representing the city and experts on trauma were there including BPD Commissioner Michael Harrison, Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa and Baltimore City Schools CEO Doctor Sonja Santelises.
Bryonna Harris, a high school senior detailed her trauma at the forum. Harris has lost her father, brother and a close friend and says stories like this need to be heard.
"We are a city with many open wounds. We tend to put bandaids on broken bones but we can't continue on like this," Harris said. "We have to come together and support eachother and then that's how we can heal as a city."
The forum is a follow up to a committee hearing on identifying, preventing and treating childhood trauma, a pervasive public health issue that needs greater federal attention.
