ERIN GUNDERSON.

>>> BY NO MORE ON THIS ON OUR WEBSITE.

DISPLACED COMMUNITIES OFTEN DON'T SUPPORT THEMSELVES.

FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE SOUTHLAND RISE COLLABORATIVE HAS AWARDED FUNDING TO SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO HELP , BUT THIS SUMMER, THE COLLABORATIVE WENT A STEP FURTHER AND BROUGHT TOGETHER HOSPITAL TRAUMA CENTER STAFF , AS WELL AS STREET OUTREACH WORKERS FOR A SHARED TRAINING WORKSHOP IN AN EFFORT TO CURB VIOLENCE ON CHICAGO'S'S OUTSIDE.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION, MARLON RILES, STREET OUTREACH SUPERVISOR TOGETHER CHICAGO, FRANKLIN GATES, DIRECTOR FOR THE VIOLENCE OF RECOVERY PROGRAM AT CHICAGO YOUTH MEDICINE, AND CHARLES McKENZIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE INGLEWOOD FIRST RESPONDERS.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FRANKLIN GAINES, GIVE US AN IDEA, PLEASE, WHAT THIS TRAINING WORKSHOP LOOKS LIKE.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS?

>> ABSENTLY.

FIRST OF ALL, WE RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTH OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT WHEN IT COMES TO COPPERHEADS OF RECOVERY, AS WELL AS PREVENTING REENTRY.

HOSPITALS , ITSELF, DURING THE VIOLENCE RECOVERY PROGRAM, ARE AN IMPORTANT LOCATION AND SPOT THAT FOCUSES ON RECOVERY, AS WELL, RECOGNIZING THAT PREVIOUS WAYS OF ENGAGING PATIENTS OF VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AND SEWING THEM UP AND THROWING THEM BACK OUT ACTUALLY INCREASES RISK.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM THAT HIGHLIGHTS HAVING INDIVIDUALS WHO COME FROM THESE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, IN MANY CASES, ALSO SURVIVORS OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES.

AT THE VERY LEAST, CONNECTING THEM TO LOVED ONES.

IMPORTANT FOR THE CONNECTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE CENTER IS REALLY CRUCIAL FOR RECOVERY.

>> MARLON, HOW DOES CHICAGO RECOVERY HELP AGAINST VIOLENCE?

>> CHICAGO HELPS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT MATTERS.

GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE VICTIM ADVOCACY, OUTREACH, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CORRECTIVE VIOLENCE TREATMENT, WE ARE ON THE STREET, CANVASSING WITH LOCAL, CRITICAL MESSAGES, BECAUSE OTHERS THAT COME FROM THAT BACKGROUND WHO WERE, ONCE UPON A TIME, VIOLENT, CREATING CHAOS OURSELVES.

WE ARE RETURNING AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> CHARLES, HOW DID THE SOUTH END RISE GRANT, HOW DID IT HELP INGLEWOOD RESPONDERS DO MORE WORK?

>> IT HELPED US OUT A LOT.

JUST CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP YOUNG INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE CITY OF CHICAGO TO KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS, FROM DOING BAD ACTIVITY, LIKE MYSELF.

I ONCE WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM, NOT SOLUTION TO MAKE A CHANGE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE, HELP OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

KNOWING THAT GRANT MADE A BIG IMPACT TO DECREASE THE VIOLENCE WITH OUR YOUNG YOUTH ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

>> FRANKLIN GAINES, YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING IN VIOLENCE RECOVERY FOR A LONG TIME .

YOU TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT ALREADY.

GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT ROLE YOU SEE HOSPITALS PLAYING IN THIS VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

>> AGAIN, BEFORE, HOSPITALS WERE ANCHORS IN COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO HIGH LEVELS OF VIOLENCE.

SO, ADVOCATE MEDICAL CENTER AND UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE AND THE TWO HOSPITALS AND ACTUALLY SEE THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF VIOLENCE IN THE CITY , US, BEING ON THE SOUTH SIDE CHICAGO, RECOGNIZING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ECOSYSTEM OF RECOVERY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT HOSPITALS PLAY A ROLE.

PLAYING A ROLE BY ALSO HAVING INDIVIDUALS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING IS NOT OKAY, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN A HEALING-CENTERED WAY TO UNDERSTAND, REALLY, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU, WHAT ARE YOUR MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS, SO WAS THE CLINICAL TEAM IS STABILIZED, THE SURVIVOR OF VIOLENCE, THEN WHAT WE DO IS REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE, PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION , AND VERTICALLY RECOGNIZE FROM 2021 THAT OUR VOLUME LEVELS, LIKE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO , LIVED EXPERIENCE OF 25% INCREASE.

WE NEEDED TO HAVE COMMITTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUTPATIENT TEAMS , AS WELL AS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONISTS WANTED THANKS TO SOUTHLAND RISE, THIS COLLABORATION BETWEEN ADVOCATE AND UNIVERSITY CHICAGO THANKS TO SENATOR DURBIN, CHICAGO HILLS INITIATIVE , ALLOWS US TO COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO TRUSTED, AS WE MENTIONED, TRUSTED INTERVENTIONALISTS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.

WHAT WAYS, WORK TOWARD THE ULTIMATE GOAL TO PREVENT REENTRY ENCUMBRANCE OF RECOVERY WITH CRISIS INTERVENTION IN HOSPITALS?

IT HAS TO ALSO HAPPEN WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

>> TO BOTH OF YOU , WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

DOES THAT MEAN IT IS A SURVIVOR COMES IN WITH AN INJURY, AND AFTER THE MD AND THAT STAFF HAS MADE SURE THAT THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE OKAY, A VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONIST COMES ALONG AND HELPS THEM FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT?

WE DON'T GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE FIND DIFFERENT HOUSING.

WHATEVER KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT YOU NEED.

>> EXACTLY.

I WILL QUICKLY INDICATE THAT IT IS EXACTLY UNDERSTANDING WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS.

TALK ABOUT HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION.

IT'S ALSO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH.

AND SO, OUR TEAM, BEING AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM TOWARDS THOSE GOALS , THEN ALSO CONNECTING WITH OUR CBI PARTNERS.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

VIOLENCE CREATES MORE VIOLENCE.

PEOPLE ARE IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON , THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE -- THEY DON'T HAVE TO CONTACT THE POLICE.

THEY CAN CONTACT THE ORGANIZATION AND EVERYTHING.

BUT THE OUTREACH STAFF, THE AGENCIES GOING ON ON MY BLOCK OVER HERE, TALK TO THESE PEOPLE THERE, AND SOMETIMES, THAT'S ALL IT TAKES.

ONE HELLO, HOW YOU DOING, ET CETERA, STOPPED IT FROM HAPPENING.

>> MARLON, YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME STARTING WITH CEASE-FIRE 20 YEARS AGO.

>> YES.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO HAS CHANGED IN 20 YEARS?

>> WELL, THAT'S KIND OF A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

SO MUCH GOING ON.

I WOULD STILL THINK THAT IT IS ACADEMIC FROM A WORLD -- SORRY -- IT IS AN EPIDEMIC.

IT IS ADDICTIVE.

VIRUS IS ADDICTIVE.

PICK UP A GUN, FIRE A GUN, A TOTALLY DIFFERENT RUSH THAT YOU FEEL.

THE MORE YOU DO IT, FIRE THAT GUN, THE MORE YOU GONNA BE PRONE TO VIOLENT ACTS.

>> CHARLES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOU FOUND THIS TRAINING WORKSHOP HELPFUL FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?

>> IT CAN JUST TEACH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LIKE ON THE STREET LEVEL.

CERTAIN THINGS IN THE STREET THAT YOU ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH IS FROM THE STREET, AND JUST GOING THROUGH A TREND TO SEE HOW THEY DO IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LOOK.

AND IT TEACH YOU HOW TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ON DIFFERENT LEVELS.

RIGHT?

WHICH IS HOW TO TALK TO INDIVIDUALS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL , BECAUSE IN A STREET WAY, THEY TALK IN A DIFFERENT MANNER.

SO, DOING THIS TRAINING DIFFERENTLY HELPS OUT A WHOLE LOT GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WITH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS , THAT TYPE OF MATTER.

>> FRANCIS, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE INTERVENTION?

>> WELL, WE HAVE TO TACKLE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT TOPIC.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT WE ARE TACKLING AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL AND WHAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO IN THE HOSPITAL ACTUALLY HAS ORIGINS THAT ARE BASED ON POLICIES AND PRACTICES TIED TO RACE AND RACISM.

RIGHT?

SO, WE REALLY NEED TO KORNET FOR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH .THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

AS WE FIND, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S RETURNING TO THE SAME PLACE WHERE YOU WERE INJURED.

SO, THAT INCREDIBLE ECOSYSTEM HELPS KEEP THEM SAFE, AND WE CAN TRY TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO HOW THEY AXIS BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE IMPORTANT.

AND HOW THE NARRATIVE AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY , COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, AND HOSPITAL-BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION THAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE NARRATIVE.

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, WHEN I HAVE SEEN, BY THE TRAINING, WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT, AS WE GET TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S WORLD AND ULTIMATELY, WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PATH.

WE NEED TO INVEST MORE IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PREVENTION THAT INVOLVES COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, AS WELL AS HOSPITAL INTERVENTION.

>> MARLON, 15 SECONDS LEFT.

CHICAGO HAS STRUGGLED WITH VIOLENCE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?

>>?

IT'S ME GOING IS KNOWING THAT I WAS ONCE UPON A TIME PART OF THAT PLATFORM OF BEING MENTORED BY ROBBERS, KILLERS, ET CETERA , AND SERVING SEVEN YEARS NOW , IN THE PENITENTIARY, I DON'T HAVE TO ALLOW THE NEXT INDIVIDUAL TO COME OUT, I CAN USE MY TESTIMONY TO GET THE GUYS INTO A POSITIVE LIFE .