Ingham County Peacemaker Fellowship Enhancement and Expansion

The Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) proposes to implement the Ingham County Peacemaker Fellowship Enhancement and Expansion. The purpose is to reduce gun violence in the community of Ingham County, Michigan (including the cities of Lansing and East Lansing) by providing evidence-based practices to young adults who are at high risk of being perpetrators or victims of gun violence, targeting ages 13–25. The Peacemaker Fellowship uses a combination of data analysis and street outreach to identify and recruit individuals who are at high risk of being involved in gun violence, including those who have a history of violent behavior, have been victims of violence in the past, are affiliated with gangs or other high-risk groups, or have other risk factors that make them more likely to be involved in gun violence. The strategy is an 18-month, personalized fellowship that involves credible messengers from the impacted communities who provide the following services in targeted hotspots to engage participants: street outreach, mentoring, intensive case management, life skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and intensive participant support through seven daily touchpoints. The Peacemaker Fellowship program also facilitates community partnerships and engagement to promote neighborhood safety and social cohesion while avoiding mass incarceration as the primary solution. If awarded, MPHI plans to double the number of participants in Ingham County by enhancing current gun violence reduction efforts in the City of Lansing and expanding staff capacity and the implementation of evidence-based gun violence reduction practices to the City of East Lansing. This application proposes a 1-year planning and 2-year implementation effort over the course of 36 months.