John Muir Health – Beyond Violence

Overview

John Muir Health (JMH) recognizes the role violence plays in the health of communities and individuals caught in the cycle of violence. The Beyond Violence program is a hospital-based violence intervention program that aims to promote community health by intervening at the critical and teachable moment immediately following hospitalization when retaliation is most common. The Beyond Violence program was launched in 2010 in the cities with a high incidence of violence with the collaboration of John Muir Health’s Trauma Department, Contra Costa Health Services and community-based organizations. JMH identifies trauma patients between the ages of 15 and 25 who are victims of intentional injuries (for example, knife assault, gunshot, assault) and reside in the Richmond area or East Contra Costa County.

Identified patients are referred to a Beyond Violence Intervention Specialist (IS) from their community. The IS supports the injured patient and the patient’s family and friends to provide crisis intervention, long-term case management, linkages to community-based services, mentoring, home visits, and follow-up assistance designed to promote health, including mental and physical recovery from trauma. The IS serves to promote healthy choices and avoid re-injury and future involvement with law enforcement. Beyond Violence works to reduce the risk factors for hospital recidivism and to significantly improve the health and well-being of both clients and their communities.

Impact

In 2014, of a total client load of 66 individuals: 100 percent consented to services; 82 percent either completed the program or agreed to continue participation in the following year; 62 percent maintained a high or medium level of engagement throughout their participation in the program, and 38 percent had a low level of participation; 87 percent avoided re-injury, 98 percent avoided retaliation and 96 percent avoided re-arrest; 100 percent remained alive; and 100 percent of Intervention Specialists pursued one or more support services for clients, totaling 402 interventions.

Lessons Learned

Program leaders have found it essential to bring together the three community-based organizations that serve the clients with the JMH staff a few times a year. These meetings grow the collaborative relationship by allowing the group to discuss daily process issues and client-specific needs. Additionally, investment in the community-based organizations has been crucial to the success of the program because such organizations did not exist before the program in a targeted underserved region. The infrastructure investment has resulted in the development of community resources to serve other missions in the future.

Future Goals

Program leaders hope to expand the scope of trauma-informed care into the community and throughout the health system.

Contact: Ben Drew
Director, Corporate Communications
Telephone: 925-947-5384
Email: ben.drew@johnmuirhealth.com