Free mental health services offered to families affected by Birmingham mass shooting

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Sylvia Bennett-Stone lost her daughter, Krystal, in 2004 when a stray bullet struck and killed her at a Fairfield gas station. Bennett-Stone said she hasn’t been the same since.

But one thing has accelerated her recovery: therapy. She hadn’t thought about it after losing her daughter, but she wishes she had started therapy sooner.

“It took me years. It took me years to figure out what healing looks like for me. What my new normal is is that life as you once knew it will never be the same again,” Bennett-Stone said.

Bennett-Stone is the national director of Black Mother’s Voices United. The organization has partnered with JR Moore and Associates, which provides counseling services to trauma victims. After Saturday’s mass shooting, they knew it was important to offer free services to families affected by the shooting.

JR Moore and Associates has more than 20 counselors who aim to meet victims where they are. Dr. Jeffery Moore said that by offering these free services, they hope to provide access to family members who need professional help.

“What we’re trying to do here at the agency is give them another level of professional support that they may not be able to afford. We wanted to provide a safe place for them and provide volunteer services to these families to give them a barrier-free way to get the help they need.”

Family members can access free services by visiting the website here or by calling the hotline at 205-703-2020.

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