November 7, 2023
Public Health Media
(213) 240-8144
media@ph.lacounty.gov
Office of Violence Prevention Partners With California Community Foundation to Invest in Violence Prevention, Intervention and Healing Services
The Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention, in partnership with California Community Foundation (CCF), has awarded more than $5.8 million for violence intervention and prevention programs, including seven hospital violence intervention programs, 10 street outreach programs and one peer to peer learning academy – in the first and second round of grant funding offered through Public Health’s Trauma Prevention Partnerships Initiative. The Office of Violence Prevention received $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as part of the County’s COVID-19 recovery plan to support violence prevention, intervention and healing services and programs. CCF is reviewing proposals for the remaining contracts, which will be awarded in early December.
The Trauma Prevention Partnerships Initiative will provide direct funding to an estimated 25-30 community-based organizations across the County to build on the current strategies implemented by the Office of Violence Prevention. Awardees will include grassroots and community-based organizations that will implement innovative programs to promote peace and healing. CCF will manage the disbursement of the ARPA funds, which are intended to prevent violent incidents; implement crisis response when violent incidents occur; address factors contributing to gun and gang violence; increase access to trauma-informed care and healing-centered services and supports; and invest in upstream youth programs, youth engagement, and youth leadership opportunities across Los Angeles County.
The ARPA investments will expand upon the Office of Violence Prevention’s existing initiatives, including crisis response, trauma-informed care, and the trauma prevention initiative, which is currently implementing hospital violence intervention programs and street outreach strategies in nine communities across the County that experience disproportionate rates of violence.
ARPA-funded hospital violence intervention program recipients include:
- Antelope Valley Partners for Health (Antelope Valley);
- Rancho Research Institute (Rancho Research Institute);
- Southern California Crossroads – (California Hospital);
- Southern California Crossroads St. Francis (St. Francis);
- Southern California Crossroads UCLA (Harbor City);
- Southern California Crossroads Pomona Valley; and
- Soledad Enrichment Action (LAC USC).
Street outreach recipients include:
- E.L.P.E.R. Foundation (Antelope Valley);
- Chapter Two, Inc. (Compton);
- 2nd Call (Lynwood);
- Homies Unidos (Women in Gangs, Westlake/Koreatown);
- Bryant Temple AME Church;
- California Black Women’s Health Project (Lennox);
- Healing Urban Barrios (Women in Gangs, Lincoln Heights);
- Southern California Crossroads (Lennox);
- Southern California Crossroads (Lynwood); and
- Soledad Enrichment Action (El Monte).
Peer-to-Peer learning recipient:
- Community Based Public Safety Collective (LA County)
“At California Black Women’s Health Project, we know that Black women alone cannot solve the crisis of violence against Black women and girls,” said Sonya Young Aadam, CEO of California Black Women’s Health Project and a recipient of the funds. “Our goal is prevention, and our Anti-Violence Ventures program (AVV) elevates the voices and centers the experiences of Black men and boys to explore the root causes and intersections between domestic, family, and community violence. The Trauma Prevention Partnership Project supports our goals to democratize the movement though community-defined evidence practices that focus on preventing violence in Black homes, relationships, and communities.”
“As Los Angeles County communities continue to experience the devastating impacts of gun violence, our hope is that these investments will ensure that individuals, families and communities have access to the resources they need to heal, thrive and reach their fullest potential,” said Andrea Welsing, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention. “ARPA funding provides critically needed resources to communities in Los Angeles County with the highest rates of ongoing violence and violence exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful to the Biden Administration for including violence prevention and intervention as a key component of COVID-19 recovery and to the Board of Supervisors for allocating these funds to the Office of Violence Prevention.”
“CCF is excited to partner with the awardees to not only provide grant awards, but to engage in supportive organization capacity building, data and evaluation development practices and to aid in community trauma prevention and intervention reduction,” said Dr. Adrienne Hillman, program officer, CCF Trauma Prevention Partnerships. “Our hope is that the initiatives funded by this landmark opportunity will inform the future of violence prevention efforts in Los Angeles County and solidify community violence as a public health issue that merits our ongoing attention and sustainable investment.”
For more information, please go to
https://www.calfund.org/nonprofits/featured-funds/trauma-prevention-partnerships/