Dr. Maxie Collier and Mr. Fikre Workneh were frustrated by the entrenched, life-threatening health disparities among Blacks, specifically Black residents of Baltimore City, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), violence, and suicide. They observed widespread misdiagnoses by practitioners and a lingering stigma towards mental health treatment in the Black community that kept individuals with mental illness from seeking care. They concluded that culturally-competent mental health providers were scarce and that increased training would increase this pool. In turn, Maxie T. Collier, M.D., a private practice psychiatrist and Baltimore’s first Black Health Commissioner and Fikre Workneh, MSW, a social worker originally from Ethiopia who worked with veterans, joined by Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, a registered nurse founded the Black Mental Health Alliance for Education and Consultation, Inc.
After 35 years in service, BMHA
invites you to honor their mission and vision
during the Dr. Maxie T. Collier VIP Reception and Awards Ceremony. Proceeds from the event elevate the organization’s capacity to strengthen the community through impactful trainings, interactive workshops, and meaningful programming.
We can rebuild the village and offer a safe and culturally-affirming space for our collective healing, restoration, and resiliency. See you on September 20!