HAMPTON, Va. — The Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board (CSB) has been awarded a $400,000 grant in federal funding to continue to support the community through traumatic events and gun violence.
For more than 50 years, the Hampton-Newport News CSB has been serving the community by providing substance abuse and mental health resources.
Recently, the board has seen a rise in need.
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"We've definitely seen an increase since the pandemic," Daphne Cunningham, the group's deputy executive director, said.
Cunningham said one of those drivers was the Richneck Elementary School shooting back in 2023.
Following what happened, the board reached out to the school division on what it could do to help and established a crisis phone line that operated through February.
"When there is a shooting in the community the achievement level of the students in the affected school goes down," Rep. Bobby Scott said. "It affects students so we need to make sure we respond immediately to ensure this is not permanent."
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With an increase in incidents, the board wanted to continue to provide its same service without pulling away from existing staff.
That's where this $400K grant from the federal government will come to help.
"Those positions include a crisis therapist who can go out into the community when those things occur as well as a community trainer who can help train the community to make sure they are aware of signs that people may need support with their mental health," Cunningham said.
Cunningham said she hopes these new positions will help their team to respond more quickly and also help prevent mental health crises from arising.
If you or someone you may need assistance from CSB you can get into contact with their 24/7 Crisis Line at (757) 788-0011.
