Category: News || By Submitted Report

The pastor of McKeesport's Bethlehem Baptist Church and the principal of McKeesport Area High School have been named to a new county-wide commission on preventing violence and improving mental health.

Rev. Earlene Coleman (at right), pastor of Bethlehem since 2003, will co-chair the Public Health Commission on Preventing Violence and Promoting Community Mental Health, along with Dr. Ron Voorhees, acting director of the Allegheny County Health Department.

Mark Holtzman Jr., high school principal, will serve as one of the 23 board members. The committee held its first meeting this morning.

"Community violence is a public health problem," said Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive. "In order for us to have any impact at all on this issue, we need to start approaching it from a public health perspective."

Fitzgerald credited state Rep. Ed Gainey, Democrat from Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood, with the idea behind the commission, which has eight months to present recommendations on ways to identify and develop effective means to prevent violence. Those strategies may then be used to reduce the number of injuries and deaths due to violence in Allegheny County, and to increase the number of people who are receiving appropriate mental health care.

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"I am very excited about the formation of this commission," Coleman said. "I have stated many times to others in my community that we must sit down collectively, with every community represented.

"This is not a 'you' or an 'I' problem, it is an 'our' problem --- and 'we' must work together to solve it," she said. "McKeesport, just like many other communities, has been touched over and over again by violence and I look forward to working with others to make the changes that I believe can happen when we put our energies and our ideas together."

In addition to Voorhees, Coleman, Holtzman and Gainey, the commission includes elected officials, health professionals, community advocates, members of law enforcement and foundation representatives:

• Ralph L. Bangs, associate director, Center on Race & Social Problems, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, and co-director, Urban & Regional Analysis Program, University Center for Social & Urban Research


• T. Rashad Byrdsong, president and CEO, Community Empowerment Association, Inc.


• Ophelia Coleman, chief of police, Wilkinsburg


• Valerie Dixon, executive director, Prevent Another Crime Today Initiative and co-convener of the Coalition Against Violence's "Strategies for Change"


• State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana, 42nd District Democrat


• Richard Garland, coordinator, Center for Health Equity's Violence Prevention Project at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health


• Dr. Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow, dean and professor, Duquesne University School of Nursing


• Rev. Glenn Grayson, pastor, Wesley Center A.M.E. Zion Church, Pittsburgh's Hill District


• Kevin Jenkins, director of community initiatives and Senior Program Officer, Pittsburgh Foundation


• Magdeline Jensen, CEO, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh


• Marcia A. Martin, vice president, Gateway Health


• Beth Monteverde, executive director, Residential Care Services


• Wilford Payne, executive director, Primary Care Health Services


• Dr. Loren H. Roth, Associate Senior Vice Chancellor for Clinical Policy and Planning, Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh


• Joni Siff Schwager, executive director, Staunton Farm Foundation


• Dr. Edith Shapira, psychiatrist and chair of The Pittsburgh Foundation


• Patricia L. Valentine, deputy director for integrated program services, Allegheny County Department of Human Services


• State Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th District Democrat


• The Hon. Joseph K. Williams III, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas


• Dr. Karl E. Williams, Allegheny County Medical Examiner