The USA Health Center for Healthy Communities has received a $1 million grant for a public health initiative to treat violence like a preventable disease to reduce gun violence.
The program, which is modeled around youth, will focus on court-involved and high-risk youth, providing outreach, mentorship, trauma response and prevention tools. The funding is part of $4 million from Gov. Kay Ivey and the State Crisis Intervention Program.
“Alabamians deserve to feel safe in their communities, homes, and schools,” Ivey said. “This program empowers agencies and organizations like the University of South Alabama to implement real solutions to gun violence.”
Dr. Ashley Williams Hogue compared violence to diseases such as diabetes.
“We know that there are root causes that increase the risk of violence, just like with chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension,” said Hogue, who serves as director of the Center for Healthy Communities. “But with early intervention and prevention, we can change outcomes. This program is focused on stopping violence before it starts.”
Hogue said USA will partner with other organizations in the community.
“It takes a village, and it’s going to take all of us,” she added. “Yes, we put forward the proposal, but we have so many people who are partnering with us, including Strickland Youth Center, Lifelines Counseling and so many other community-based organizations. I’m excited not to just be doing the work, but also to have such great partners.”
Specialists will respond to gun violence victims at the hospital and will investigate the possibility of a plan for retaliation. “Street outreach members” will then enter the community and employ de-escalation tactics.
The University of South Alabama's academic health system initiative is one of 11 projects across Alabama receiving funding through the State Crisis Intervention Program.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grant funds.
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