Raphah Institute

Mission

Every day, lives are traumatically impacted by harm in communities. Structural and systemic defects often leave people very few healthy options that, when coupled with minimal opportunity for healing or transformation, result in generational cycles of harm. But, what if, as a community, we decided to interrupt these complicated, layered challenges? What if we could develop scalable and adaptive strategies that disrupt societal harm to prioritize our pursuit of individual healing and positive transformation? Raphah Institute partners with community leaders to design and implement solutions that empower us all to heal from harm. Through strategic partnerships that look beyond the status quo, Raphah Institute represents a chance to confront our more complicated community challenges, take a uniquely crafted approach, and see transformative healing for all.

Background

Raphah Institute was formed with the belief that when people have the opportunity and resources to heal and thrive, they will. As a police officer, Raphah Institute founder and CEO, Travis Claybrooks saw firsthand the limitations of government systems alone to solve the complicated challenges facing people experiencing harm. As a pastor, he also saw how distant he and many other people and organizations of faith, were from the people and communities broken by harm and trauma. These observations led him to join the many other community leaders working to make Nashville a city of healing. First, he planted a church in Juvenile Court, focused on supporting families of children in juvenile detention. At the same time, he founded Raphah Institute to engage a larger work around addressing harm and trauma. Through this initiative, led by the vision of juvenile court judge Sheila Calloway and in partnership with District Attorney General Glenn Funk; then public defender Dawn Deaner; police chief, Steve Anderson; and with the support of then mayor Megan Berry; Raphah Institute launched its flagship program, the Restorative Justice Diversion Program, a program that focuses on healing both persons harmed and responsible youth using restorative justice principles. Raphah Institute believes Nashville has what it takes to be a city of healing and transformation. With the right commitment, focus and creativity, all Nashvillians can heal and transform following harm.

Impact

Four overarching goals guide our FY18-20 organization's impact objectives and activities. Goal 1: Promote healing and transformation for persons directly involved in youth-related crime through voluntary, person harmed-centered restorative justice Goal 2 - Establish safe, confidential, and trauma-informed direct services to support persons directly involved in youth-related crime during and beyond the restorative community conferencing process Goal 3: Develop and implement educational outreach to ensure that possible future persons directly involved in youth-related crime, as well as the community, are aware of the option of restorative justice Goal 4 - Develop an annual Summary Report of the restorative justice program.

Needs

Our top 3 most pressing needs are:

1. A research database to enhance data collection and outcomes measurement/reporting.

2. MST program implementation to provide early intervention for young people at greatest risk of recidivism.

3. Web presence, including social media, to raise awareness about restorative justice as an option.

CEO Statement

Raphah is a verb of Hebrew origins that means 'to heal.' Our motto is, 'Justice is Healing.' Yes, we believe that healing should be a natural result of justice in every aspect our community. And, we also believe that our concepts of justice long for healing as well. Ideas of justice that are associated with punishment, retribution, condemnation and more harm can be healed and become associated with ideas like accountability, repair, reform and restoration.

Board Chair Statement

We value compassionate healing. We value positive transformation. We value being called, empowered, and guided by God. We value being just. We value being excellent. We value empowerment and freedom. We value innovative collaboration.