GIFFORDS’ Post

Cleveland Peacemakers is a grassroots community violence intervention (CVI) organization organized to save lives. We engage with young people ages 14-24 who are the highest risk of shooting or being shot. Interventions include, court advocacy and support, hospital-based violence intervention programs, employment opportunities, and mental health services. Cleveland Peacemakers deploys street outreach workers, “credible messengers,” who help mediate conflicts to prevent shootings, provide immediate crisis response, and connect high-risk young people to community resources to promote long-term support and stabilization. These interventions work to prevent violence before it happens and de-escalate conflict before it potentially turns fatal. We build healthy and safe communities. https://lnkd.in/gQNWPtRA

‘Prevention is the Best Cure’: Community Violence Intervention Research in Boston Community violence is a deeply entrenched problem that arises from numerous, complex factors. Any comprehensive solution to preventing or intervening in community violence must address the issue from multiple vantage points. The National Institute of Justice has funded AIR, in partnership with WestEd, to develop a violence intervention and prevention intercept model that pinpoints where, how, and why people interact with Boston's hospital and community-based service array. This project also aims to engage other cities to ultimately produce a tool that they can use to evaluate and improve their own urban violence prevention ecosystem. In this Q&A, Principal Researcher Patricia Campie, Ph.D., explains how #Boston became a leader in this field, how hospital-based interventions work, and why she thinks the root causes of community violence are universal.   https://lnkd.in/e6pc8J5D #CommunityViolenceIntervetion #HVIPs

This is a great next step in ensuring youth and families fleeing domestic violence have the support they need. Far too often, when victims of sexual assault or domestic violence flee with their children, they face additional and unnecessary institutional obstacles that jeopardizes their safety and well-being. One unfortunate common practice was to place children in the foster care system if the parent fleeing the abuse entered a domestic violence shelter or no longer had housing after fleeing for their safety. Although this practice is inconsistent with the law and polices, it was and still is common nonetheless. Now, with greater awareness and training, it is understood that in these situations, families fleeing abuse should be prioritized for Housing Choice Vouchers, Emergency Housing Choice Vouchers, and connected to community resources. These additional funds should enable more families to receive the support they need. While more funding, services and awareness is still needed, as a community, we have the power to help ensure every youth and family has what they need to not only survive, but also, to thrive. #TogetherWeCan #KonnectedwithCare

From Dr. Wendy Mahoney, interim President and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): "Housing is extremely limited for survivors, often forcing them to make impossible choices between sleeping outside or suffering continued violence. This is especially true for survivors of color and other marginalized survivors, who are already more likely to experience violence, compounded by systemic inequality that makes it harder to escape and access safe housing. We all deserve a safe place to live, and we can't solve homelessness by punishing people for experiencing it." Learn more about the Johnson v. Grants Pass case here: https://lnkd.in/e3U-MmiK

"Sojourner Center’s Service Delivery Model is designed to empower survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking by providing them with the tools and resources they need to transform their lives. We believe in offering survivors opportunities for decision-making, goal-setting, skill-building, and trauma-healing within our programs. Our approach begins with acknowledging the common challenges survivors may face upon entering our programs..." Read on about our Service Delivery Model! https://conta.cc/3TJB4Pf

What more can Australia do to prevent domestic and family violence (DFV) & reduce the harm it creates? We have partnered with Paul Ramsay Foundation to gain insights and ideas into how the DFV support field can be strengthened, learning from 31 specialist DFV organisations about what it takes to deliver holistic, coordinated and integrated, person-centred responses for those who face the greatest barriers to seeking help. Find out more here 🔎 https://lnkd.in/gvC4Kza9

"Effective community intervention programs have become instrumental in addressing the root causes of delinquency. These initiatives encompass a broad spectrum of strategies, including early intervention, educational support, mentoring, and conflict resolution. The emphasis on rehabilitation over incarceration has shown promising results in reducing repeat offenses and enhancing community safety." https://lnkd.in/g75tjVZy Life Decisions is helping youth get back on track, stay out of trouble and reach healthy adulthood. We cannot do what we do, without the support and investment of the community. Partner with us by supporting the work we do. Together, Bringing Restoration to Rockford. https://lnkd.in/g6j2_X7Q

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month! As you follow along our daily posting of helpful resources during this month, we'd love to bring today's resource to your attention in this 5-min read 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejBYWFds What do we mean when we say we don’t rescue? 🤔 In the fight against child exploitation, there is often a prevailing narrative of dramatic rescues. However, it is important to question the underlying assumptions that this type of intervention is always or even often needed and helpful. Check out this article to understand why “rescues” are often not the only or best path to freedom, and how they can even lead to harm both for people being “rescued” and larger efforts to combat human trafficking.

Thanks for posting Darren, really important message.

I was honored to be invited to the Oaklawn Crisis Center groundbreaking ceremony. So many wonderful people and organizations came together to make this a reality. I know that many people will be helped in their time of need. Many of those people will receive guidance and resources and will be back on track in life; they’ll return to work, resume social activities, and enjoy time with family. But what about those who can’t “bounce back?” What happens to those who are diagnosed with a severe mental illness? Those with no support system? No money? Now that Portage Manor is gone, where will these people go? Who will manage their medications, provide the wrap around services they require, and manage their ADL’s? The next step is funding. One of two things must happen. Either the RCAP rate MUST be increased from $54.00 a day to at least $75.00 a day, or a new Medicaid Waiver covering Severe Mental Illness must be added to the 30 covering physical disabilities or illnesses. Mr Chaudhary, why wasn’t an increase in RCAP funding on the FSSA budget proposal this year? I humbly beg you to fight for more funding for the care and housing of those with severe mental illness.