The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention

To heal communities affected by violence, The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (www.thehavi.org) fosters hospital and community collaborations to advance equitable, trauma-informed care for violence intervention/ prevention programs. Our vision is to build a system of healthcare that mobilizes hospitals and communities to end violence, together.

Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) vary in the specifics of their design and scope, but typically include a brief intervention in the emergency department or at the hospital bedside as well as intensive community-based case management services following discharge. HVIP services are provided by culturally competent Violence Prevention Professionals who often also serve in a mentorship capacity. HVIPs are rooted in the philosophy that violence is preventable and that violent injury offers a “teachable moment” and unique opportunity to break cycles of violence.  HVIPs embrace a public health approach to violence prevention as they are grounded in data, which indicate that victims of violence are at elevated risk for re-injury and violence perpetration. This model has been the subject of numerous peer-reviewed studies indicating promising impact on injury recidivism, criminal justice contact, and trauma symptoms. HVIPs are now a recommended practice by the federal government. 

The network has grown to hundreds of individuals such as physicians, nurses, therapists, gang interventionists, outreach workers and researchers who are affiliated with 41 member programs in the U.S., Canada, England and El Salvador. We hold a sold-out annual conference of over 400 professionals implementing our health approach to violence. Our goal is to support the growth of HVIPs throughout the United States.

Our organization hosts a large annual conference, staffs member working groups that focus on Mental Health, Research, Policy, Workforce Development, and more, and provides training and technical assistance to hospitals and communities that want to begin HVIPs and to existing programs that need support.