Expand beyond the engaging networks within the community of omaha to maintain and promote a safe society (encompass) hospital based violence intervention program, funded under FY 2022 cvip, to…

This $2,000,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.045 - Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative) will enable the City of Omaha to expand its Engaging Networks within the Community of Omaha to Maintain and Promote a Safe Society (ENCOMPASS) hospital-based violence intervention program.

The key objectives are to: 1) expand street outreach and whole-family response efforts; 2) expand the ENCOMPASS program operated by Nebraska Medicine; and 3) professionalize the field through credentialing and continuing education for local community organizations engaged in community violence intervention. This will involve formalizing partnerships with the broader service network embedded in the community to increase ongoing, targeted violence intervention efforts that identify and support individuals and families at highest risk of involvement in community violence, particularly retaliatory gun violence.

The award will fund two sub-grants: one to the African American Empowerment Network, Inc. to provide direct services and coordinate matching individuals with services, and another to the University of Nebraska at Omaha to lead implementation and outcome evaluations of the ENCOMPASS project.

Project description

The purpose of this project is to expand beyond the engaging networks within the community of omaha to maintain and promote a safe society (encompass) hospital based violence intervention program, funded under FY 2022 cvip, to establish and formalize partnerships with the broader service network embedded in the community. The project will increase ongoing, targeted violence intervention efforts that identify and support individuals and families at highest risk of involvement in community violence, particularly retaliatory gun violence. The citys approach will include: [1] expansion of street outreach and whole-family response; [2] expansion of the encompass program operated by nebraska medicine (university of nebraska medical center, a level-1 trauma hospital); and [3]professionalization of the field through credentialing and continuing education for local community organizations engaging in community violence intervention efforts to ensure evidence-informed approaches including cultural competence, and trauma sensitivity are applied in violence prevention and intervention efforts. This proposal will build upon and formalize the collaborative partnerships among the city of omaha mayors office, the african american empowerment network/omaha 360, the university of nebraska at omaha school of criminology and criminal justice, and the nebraska medical center. Efforts will also fund the CO-creation of community safety strategies led by grassroots street outreach and intervention partners; providing capacity while capitalizing on the momentum and trust built between community and systems.