Violence Prevention

Aligning members of the community with Eskenazi Health surgeons to reduce violence through education and support, Eskenazi Health Prescription for Hope is an initiative geared toward Marion County residents who have been involved in violent personal injury or criminal behaviors and are at an increased risk for recurrence.

Eskenazi Health patients who are recovering from gunshot wounds, stabbings or other assaults are encouraged to enroll in this program before leaving the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital. Goals of the program include:

• Reduce recidivism of violence-related injury and readmission
• Reduce repeated criminal activity and arrest
• Develop effective life skills for responsible citizenship behavior
• Provide community education and information on violence and crime prevention to create safer homes and neighborhoods
• Create a network of community agencies and programs to serve as partners to provide accessible services for assistance and personal development

EKG is a youth education program that teaches students about the legal, medical and emotional implications of youth gun possession and related gun violence. Created in partnership with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and other local agencies including the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center at Eskenazi Health, the program teaches youths to make the right decisions when faced with situations involving guns.

Indy HeartBeat provides services and interventions to youth – up to age 24 – and their families to reduce crime through outreach and education. It also strives to bolster community resources for education, jobs housing, health care and recreation – factors that advocates say can help reduce crime and violence.

Indy HeartBeat complements the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's (IMPD) community-based policing, which builds ties to neighborhoods and partnerships between law enforcement and community groups. The efforts of Indy HeartBeat are currently focused on IMPD North District 25 – an area of Indianapolis where a substantial amount of violence occurs. 

Project LIFE is a court-mandated program designed to help educate youth ages 12 to 17 and their families about the consequences arising from acts of violence. This nine-hour (three sessions) intensive program is offered by the Marion Superior Courts – Juvenile Division in conjunction with the Marion County Public Health Department, the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center, Prescription for Hope and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. The sessions address youth violence through its medical and legal implications.

The Juvenile Division of the Marion Superior Courts refers youths with a history of battery, weapons violence and repeated problems with violence. Attendance by a parent or guardian is required. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the incident that resulted in their participation in the program and the steps they can take to promote individual and family change.

As participants in the program, youths and their families hear from guest speakers who have had their lives permanently changed by the tragedy of violence. Through watching and analyzing violent simulations and discussions with medical professionals and prosecutors, participants learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflict without turning to weapons. In addition, participants review any factors in their lives that might promote violence and criminal activity, and learn of other factors and decisions that may serve as buffers.

Trauma can affect people of every race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender, psychosocial background and geographic region. A traumatic experience can be a single event, a series of events and/or a chronic condition and can affect individuals, families, groups, communities, specific cultures and generations. The Eskenazi Health Resiliency Center is a place of healing and support dedicated to serving as a multi-agency resource and referral center for residents, visitors and responders affected by traumatic events. This grant-funded partnership between Indy HeartBeat and the Immigrant Welcome Center was inspired by a tragic mass shooting to help people access resources to help them build strength and resiliency in its aftermath. Services that are available include victim advocacy and support, case management, counseling and spiritual care referrals, technical assistance with applying for online services including victim assistance services and more.