Evaluating Efforts to Build a Healing-Centered Violence Prevention Ecosystem in New Orleans

• In Event: Addressing Violence: Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment

Abstract

Like most cities, New Orleans saw high rates of gun violence in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. The city adopted a public health approach to reduce gun violence, including establishing an Office of Violence Prevention within the Health Department and convening a cross-sector violence intervention and prevention steering committee. The New Orleans Health Department’s approach relies on creating a violence prevention ecosystem with both hospital and community-based violence intervention and prevention programs supported by key stakeholders capable of mobilizing resources to impacted communities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the approach, Tulane University and Vera Institute of Justice conducted qualitative interviews with steering committee members and community-based violence interrupters, known as peace ambassadors in New Orleans, tasked with creating and sustaining the violence prevention ecosystem. The evaluation seeks to identify facilitators of success as well as challenges and barriers from an institutional and programmatic perspective that limit the effectiveness and sustainability of violence intervention and prevention initiatives. Preliminary results highlight the importance of communication, collaboration, and capacity in coordinating a city-wide violence prevention ecosystem as well as the need for long-term funding and support from private and public sectors to achieve sustainability.

Authors

• Kim Mosby, Vera Institute of Justice

• Kerry Mulligan, Vera Institute of Justice

• Jakevia Wheeler, Vera Institute of Justice

• Julia Fleckman, Tulane University

• Peyton Jernigan, Tulane University