Join us June 4, 2021, for #HAVhope Friday

A national day of awareness to end violence

#HAVhope is a national day of awareness to highlight how America’s hospitals and health systems combat violence in their workplaces and communities. On June 4, the fifth annual Hospitals Against Violence #HAVhope Friday takes place, once again in the midst of nationwide mourning, anger and protests as a result of police brutality toward Black and Brown people. Nevertheless, hospitals continue working toward partnerships, innovations and creative thinking to foster peace and make a safer environment for workers and patients.

We invite you to share using #HAVhope what your hospital or health system is doing in this effort. By operating as a united front, our hospitals can forge a path for all to have hope.

Violence — in its many forms — is a major public health challenge. The AHA, along with its nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, are committed to addressing all forms of violence affecting our staff as well as the patients and communities we serve.

The Hospitals Against Violence Initiative (HAV) is sharing examples and best practices with the field, with a particular emphasis on youth violence prevention, workplace violence prevention and combatting human trafficking. Explore this page to learn more about effective prevention strategies and program development on national, state and local levels to help end violence in our communities and to help hospital employees cope with the impact of violence, whether at home, on the job or in their neighborhoods. We welcome your thoughts and initiatives; email us at hospitalsagainstviolence@aha.org.