Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Community Violence Through a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program

To reduce community violence and recidivism and to address individual risk and protective factors for violence, Prisma Health-Midlands seeks to develop and implement a hospital-based violence intervention program (HVIP) at Prisma Health Richland Hospital Trauma Center in Columbia, South Carolina, in collaboration with community partners and using community member input. The HVIP will serve high-risk teens and young adults living in underserved, marginalized, and high-crime areas of Columbia treated at the trauma center for a violence-related injury (gunshot wound, stabbing, or assault). HVIPs are an evidence-based strategy that utilizes credible messengers to provide intensive case management and wraparound services to patients with violence-related injuries. Credible messengers, who have shared experiences and/or similar backgrounds as program participants, will identify and assist program participants to reduce risk factors for violence, such as substance misuse, social and emotional health, and unemployment. At the same time, protective factors such as immediate safety needs, housing, education, employment, and development of social skills are promoted.
Evaluation of impact and outcomes of the HVIP will be conducted through a companion evaluation proposal from Prisma Health-Midlands under the NIJ FY 2023 Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Research, Evaluation, and Associated Training and Technical Assistance Support Opportunity #O-NIJ-2023 1717648, under Category 3.