On Anniversary of Tops Shooting, Governor Highlights Resources to Address Trauma, Mental Wellness in East Buffalo

Governor Kathy Hochul, City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, and the May 14 Memorial Commission, along with families of those lost and injured and other community stakeholders, unveiled the final design of a permanent memorial honoring the victims of the Tops shooting in Buffalo on May 14, 2022. “Seeing Us,” designed by Jin Young Song and Douglass Alligood, was chosen from 20 submissions and was one of three finalists chosen by the commission . (Image provided by Governor Kathy Hochul’s office)

Tue May 14, 2024 4:10 p.m.

Mental Health Initiative “Reimagine: I Am the Change” Helps Address Trauma and Emotional Well-Being Following Supermarket Mass Shooting

√ Orders that flags be flown simultaneously at half-mast; state monuments will be lit orange on Tuesday, May 14

Submitted by Governor Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced progress on community initiatives established to address trauma, mental health and emotional well-being in the East Buffalo community following the shooting in racist motivation at the Tops supermarket on May 14, 2022.

Funded by two federal grants, the “Reimagine: I Am the Change” initiative created a community support network, including several local wellness initiatives; a mobile Black mental health awareness and response team; and a training initiative to increase the number of community members equipped to provide emotional support and psychological first aid in East Buffalo.

Hochul also ordered that flags on all state buildings be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset in honor of the victims, alongside the half-masting order already in place in honor of Vincent “Vinny” Giammarva, employee of the New York State Thruway Authority. At the Governor’s request, state landmarks will be lit orange on Tuesday, May 14 across New York State.

“On the two-year anniversary of the horrific Tops attack, our commitment to supporting East Buffalo remains as strong as ever,” Hochul said. “Projects and initiatives launched through “Reimagine: I Am the Change” address service gaps and promote resilience to address systemic inequities and race-based traumatic stress that have negatively impacted this community for decades. »

Administered by the state Office of Mental Health, the “Reimagine: I am the Change” initiative is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which provided $2.35 million Emergency Response Grant, or SERG. and a $4 million ReCAST award for “Community Resilience After Stress and Trauma.” These awards were given in direct response to the racially motivated shooting at Tops Market in East Buffalo, which left 10 people dead, all of whom were Black.

Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “These projects and initiatives – each developed with direct input from the East Buffalo community – are tailored to the specific and unique health needs mentality of this community. While nothing can erase the pain and suffering inflicted by this tragedy, these grants will result in a stronger, more resilient community.

SERG funded the Black Mental Health Response Team, which is comprised of a dedicated team of clinicians and other mental health staff to provide rapid access to professional, culturally appropriate awareness, engagement and clinical support in mental health matters. Established in October 2022 and managed by BestSelf Behavioral Health, the Black Mental Health Response Team has received more than 136 community referrals, provided treatment to 212 individuals, and engaged nearly 1,000 others with their services.

This grant also established the Reimagine Non-Traditional Wellness Fund, which supports community interventions that promote mental wellness and healing through Black traditions and culture. Grants awarded through this fund supported six community projects that raised awareness in the community.

Community providers and their projects funded through this grant include:

•Cultrue Inc., The New Masters: Healing Buffalo Through the Arts – Workshops focused on arts-based therapy, using creative and expressive arts practices to promote emotional well-being and healing.

•Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers, Healing Together – A project to engage diverse community stakeholders, including establishing community “wellness champions” from local churches to serve as points of contact with their ministry and the community it serves dessert.

•Buffalo Community Health Center, Arts that Heal – An arts-based emotional wellness program for people 55 and older in the community.

• Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collaborative, Celestial Jazz Series – An accessible program that creates opportunities for diverse, inclusive and community engagement through jazz, presented as a tool to unite, uplift and achieve mental well-being.

• Erie Niagara Region Health Education Center, Student Mental Health Internship Program – A recruitment program aimed at enrolling Black, Indigenous and people of color into careers in mental health care.

• Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network Inc., Boys and Men’s Mental Health and Well-Being Initiative – A community intervention and partnership that addresses service gaps for men, fathers, sons, boys and young men of color in East Buffalo, including mental services. health talks in east Buffalo hair salons.

The funding also establishes a psychological first aid training program aimed at creating a local, community resource of individuals responsible for providing this support in a manner that is knowledgeable and culturally representative of the East Side community. So far, nearly 170 people have been trained.

The ReCAST grant supports a coalition of diverse community stakeholders to develop recovery-focused, trauma-informed, and equity-based behavioral health and wellness programs. This funding enabled a partnership between University Psychiatric Practice, SayYes Buffalo and Buffalo Public Schools to provide clinical support for students experiencing community trauma and training for educators.

Funding also helps establish community-generated, non-traditional mental wellness programs in East Buffalo, including arts-based therapies and coordination with local houses of worship and spiritual healing. Additionally, this award funds the Black Mental Health Response Team through BestSelf Behavioral Health.

Monument lighting

Monuments that will be lit in honor of the victims of the Tops supermarket shooting on May 14 include:

• A global trade center
• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• National Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Empire State Square
• State Fairgrounds – Main Gate and Exhibition Center
• Niagara Falls
• Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR – East End Walkway at Penn Station
• Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
• Footbridge over Hudson State Historic Park