The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s recent “Changing the Odds” report highlights Atlanta’s racial disparities and calls on leaders to invest in community-led solutions for reducing gun violence. Homicide numbers have declined recently, the report notes, and investing in those communities most affected by gun violence remains critical for any meaningful progress to continue.
The Interrupting Violence in Youth and Young Adults (IVYY) Project at Grady Health System is at the forefront of the battle against gun violence. As a hospital-based violence intervention program (HVIP), IVYY serves victims of gun violence, ages 14 to 34, who seek care at Grady. Our program started serving patients on Jan. 18, 2023.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Since that time, IVYY staff have created relationships with more than 300 young people who dream of going back to school, finding meaningful work, making music, starting a business or starting a family. More importantly, these are more than 300 young people whose dreams were derailed by gun violence. IVYY supports these teens and young adults (and their families) as they move toward wellness and reconnect with their dreams so that they can live to their purpose.
The IVYY model is three-pronged: First, Violence Intervention Specialists — community leaders from Atlanta’s neighborhoods — engage with patients at their bedside to coach and mentor them through their healing process; second, the IVYY outpatient clinic provides ongoing mental, social and physical health care; and third, the IVYY Project’s Circle of Safety works in the community to strengthen our ability to connect patients with the resources they need. Early results are promising, and the Changing the Odds report recognizes the IVYY Project as playing “a pivotal role” in Atlanta’s safety ecosystem.
We are also leading the clarion call in the Atlanta region to pioneer violence prevention efforts that are rooted in public health. Research shows that HVIPs like IVYY and community-based programs have been proven to be highly effective in reducing violence and homicides.
At the core of the IVYY Project’s mission is a simple yet profound belief: “Trauma that isn’t transformed is transferred.” This belief drives our efforts to not only treat physical wounds but also to address the underlying trauma that perpetuates violence.
As we reflect on our first year of programming, we are struck by several key lessons:
• Violence happens long before the trigger is pulled. It is rooted in generational, systemic and structural factors, including racism and disinvestment in our communities. These factors have led to broken systems and flawed policies that disproportionately distress our communities and must be addressed holistically.
• Communities most affected by violence are often the ones with the least access to resources and support. This imbalance perpetuates a cycle of violence that is difficult to break and calls on us to adopt a multifaceted approach that addresses the root causes of violence while also providing immediate support to those affected.
• Amid these challenges, we have also witnessed the spirit and fortitude of our community. We have seen firsthand that the community is rich with solutions and is our greatest asset in the fight against violence. By investing in community-led efforts, we empower the community to take ownership of their safety and well-being.
• We know that it is important to challenge existing stereotypes about victims of gun violence. For example, there is a tendency to blame gunshot victims or assume that young Black people who are shot are criminals, gang members or drug dealers. Most of our patients were simply living their lives when they were shot as bystanders. All of our patients are human beings who deserve compassion and understanding and none of them deserves violence.
We knew this work would be a complex and heavy lift. Our tagline is, “Violence prevention isn’t hard work, it’s heart work.” We are proud to stand alongside Emory’s Urban Health Initiative, the Center for Civic Innovation, Hope Hustlers, Tyme to Thrive, Wii Care, the Hopeful Change, Lakewood Ministries, Mother’s Against Gang Violence, Girassol Wellness, Gangstas to Growers, Freedom Is A Choice, Paralyzed From Violence and so many other grassroots organizations as they do heroic work to prevent violence in Atlanta’s neighborhoods.
Gun violence is 100% preventable. Do we care enough about young Black men and the Black and brown communities that are disproportionately affected by gun violence to implement proven, evidence-based approaches to prevent it?
We believe that, in Atlanta, the answer will be yes. We believe that, with you, we can transform trauma and build a safer community in our beloved city.
Jacquel Clemons Moore is a leading expert in violence prevention, the director of the Interrupting Violence in Youth and Young Adults Project at Grady Health System and the 2023 recipient of the Center for Civic Innovation’s Good Trouble Honor.
