Elevation Grant will support gun violence intervention team at IU Health Methodist Hospital

IU Health is partnering with the City of Indianapolis’ Indy Peace program to launch its first-ever Hospital-linked Violence Intervention Program (HVIP). IU Health Foundation secured a $249,381 Elevation Grant from The Indianapolis Foundation to fund the initiative. Elevation Grants are administered by The Indianapolis Foundation at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), and technical assistance and training will be provided by the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention.

“It truly takes a collaborative effort to break the cycles of violence and retribution.” said Cassandra Tice, director, grants at IU Health Foundation. “IU Health is especially excited to partner with Indy Peace on this initiative, because they prioritize the same populations we serve. We’re leveraging their team and network of community-based organizations to help victims and, ideally, prevent future violence.”

HVIP helps victims of gun violence heal from past traumas and lived experiences by connecting patients to appropriate services they can tap after discharge from the hospital. HVIP enrollees will meet weekly with a life coach to set goals, discuss progress and connect with appropriate resources. The program also aims to address IU Health and CICF’s shared priority to improve health equity in Central Indiana, because victims of violence are more likely to be lower income and face more obstacles to care.

The funding will allow IU Health to hire a mental health provider to focus on violence intervention and remove barriers to mental health care for patients. The grant will also support specialized training for IU Health violence prevention professionals.

To learn about other ways IU Health is leveraging philanthropy to build a healthier Indiana, visit AllTheDifferenceIN.org.