INDIANAPOLIS— On Tuesday, Indy Peace and IU Health Methodist Hospital announced the launch of Indy Peace Hospital-Linked Violence Intervention Program. It's supported by the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention.
The goal of the initiative is to reduce the likelihood by engaging victims of gun violence when they're being treated in the hospital. Victims and their families get connected to long-term services and support.
During the press conference, Mayor Joe Hogsett said it's another step in reducing gun violence.
"Horrible, the pain is unreal," said Rebecca Simmons, who lost her son to gun violence.
Simmon's son, Spencer Lawson, died after being shot at an apartment complex in Lawrence in April. On Tuesday, she was in court to face her son's killer and says her case wasn't the only one related to gun violence.
"The first three cases was talking about young men with guns and I shook my head," said Simmons.
It's that pain that this program is trying to eliminate. When a victim is enrolled in the program they are matched with a life coach from Indy Peace. That coach makes sure they have all the resources they had in the hospital when they go back home.
"So they don’t have to return to gun violence to get what they want or need," said Bree Engle with Indy Peace.
Victims of gun violence often have an increased risk of re-injury and can be more likely to retaliate.
WATCH | Gun violence impacts families, doctors
Since its launch in April 2024, 27 patients were referred to the program. Six patients successfully enrolled in the Indy Peace Fellowship and two patients accessed therapy within the first two weeks of the program's launch.
The program is jointly funded through the City of Indianapolis and IU Health Foundation, which received a $249,381 Elevation Grant, a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, Mayor Joe Hogsett, and the City-County Council with federal funding from the City of Indianapolis, to implement this initiative with Indy Peace. Additionally, the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), through the Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), is providing technical assistance and training at no cost.
