The Value of Public Academic Partnerships to Non-Profit Programing and Why Research Matters

• In Event: 273 - Special Session. Contributions of the Spivak CARI Awardees of the Last 20 Years

Abstract

Since receiving a CARI grant in 2011 to support the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute (LDBPI) create, assess, and implement their one of a kind burial guide, I have been able to secure state and federal funds for additional intervention and evaluation projects with the non-profit. The LDBPI serves 98% of the families that are impacted by the homicide in the Boston area and provides crisis response training and other network services for service providers as a way to ease the psychological stress of their jobs.
Subsequent to the publication and dissemination of the burial guide, we received funding from the UMass President’s Office Creative Economies award to introduce Mindfulness to homicide survivors and front-line providers at the LDBPI. The application of Mindfulness to health is recognized as an evidenced-based practice which reduces the negative dimensions of psychological stress while working to improve psychological well-being. The goal of the project was to develop capacity for providers and inner city survivors of violence through investigating the cultural relevance and potential acceptability of Mindfulness for survivors and providers working with in low-income community of color most affected by urban and/or gun violence. The impact of gun violence is felt not only by victims but also friends, families and communities through the adverse effects on quality of life, economic productivity, and social cohesion. The services the LDBPI provides are essential to community healing and solidarity. The project introduced Mindfulness as a tool in the Peace Institute’s tool-kit to expand coping options for family members and front line service providers.
Additionally, we received federal Byrne grant funding to create the Intergenerational Justice Project (IJP). The IJP is based on the belief that through working with all families members affected by homicide (offenders, victims) and offering a support system, the cycle of violence is interrupted, so that victims do not become offenders and vice versa. The IJP program emphasizes the importance of family support for successful offender reintegration. Given that both victims’ families and offenders’ families experience loss and trauma, the reentry process needs to support both as they address the concerns and impact the transition of the individual returning to the community. The LDBPI, Visions Inc., Span Inc. and UMass Boston partnered to develop IJP to fill a much needed gap in offender reentry by providing triangulated support to the families and friends of the victims of homicide, the families and friends of the individuals who perpetrated the crime, and incarcerated/formerly incarcerated people. The necessity of support for families in reentry preparation and reunification with their incarcerated loved ones is important to restorative justice. The IJP is built on the belief that offenders, victims, and families coming together can address the harm that was caused by criminal behavior, and that the community is repaired and restored through cooperative efforts.
My presentation will present the findings from the evaluation of each distinct project, the overlapping lessons, and future directions for this community based public academic work.

Author

• Stephanie W. Hartwell, University of Mass-Boston