1. Who We Are and What We Do
A Focus on the Violence Intervention Program (VIP)
April 2011
Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

2. Carnell Cooper, MD, FACS
Founder & Team Leader 1998-present
VPP Component Services
 Violence Intervention Program (VIP)
 Promoting Healthy Alternative for Teens (PHAT)
 My Future My Career (MFMC)
 VIP-City Wide (VIP-CW)

3. Component 1
Violence Intervention Program
(VIP)
Victims in the Hospital
 Talk to victims of violent injury
at the bedside in STC
 Assess immediate needs
 Develop individualized service
plans / “plans of action”
 Deliver intensive clinical case-
management services in the
community post-discharge
Priorities / Outcomes
 Interrupt the cycle of violence
Teach non-violent coping strategies
Connect clients to community providers
Reduce risk taking behavior & re-injury
Reduce criminal behavior
Prevent violence and criminal activity
Component 2
Promoting Health Alternatives
for Teens (PHAT)
Youth in the Community
 Talk to youth about the “power
of choice” & decisions
 Have youth & professionals
talk about career paths in
 Introduce youth to former
victims/perpetrators of violence
to talk about positive life lessons
 Deliver messages through
spoken word artistry
Priorities / Outcomes
 Interrupt the cycle of violence
Plant “seeds” for pro-social behavior,
problem solving & future orientation
 Increase discussions about “taboo
topics” & important life decisions
 Decrease risk factors for violence
Component 3
My Future My Career
(MF-MC)
Group of at Risk Youth
 Expose a group of at risk
youth to specific career paths
over 8 weeks of sessions at
UMB through VPP
 Youth talk with professionals,
express themselves through
spoken word exercises & are
connected with resources in
the community
 Re-engage youth with school
Priorities / Outcomes
 Interrupt the cycle of violence
 Plant “seeds” for pro-social behavior,
problem solving & future orientation
 Increase discussions about “taboo
topics” & important life decisions
 Decrease risk factors for violence
Coordinated Hospital Effort
 Extend VIP service model to
area Emergency Departments
 Collaborate with healthcare
providers to maximize quality
care for victims of violent injury
 Reached MOUs with eight
Emergency Departments in
2009 – no funding available
 Efforts to expand city-wide
continue
Priorities / Outcomes
 Extend the VIP service model to reach
eligible victims of violence across the city
 Reduce violent crime & re-injury
 Contribute to best practice standards
 Implement a cost-effective, evidence-
based & pro-active approach to
interpersonal violence
Component 4
Violence Intervention Program-
City Wide (VIP-CW)
COMPONENT SERVICES of the UMMC Violence Prevention Program (VPP) (rev 05/10)

4.  Urban Victims of Violence
 African American Male
 Ages 15-27
 High School drop out
 Unemployed-no stable income
 Positive toxicology screen for drugs / alcohol
 History of involvement with criminal justice
 Repeat victims of intentional violent injury
 No health insurance
 No stable housing – no rental history
 No credit or banking history

5.  Risk Factors
 Poverty
 Limited education
 Under-employment
 Untreated mental health
problems
 Untreated medical
conditions
 History of victimization
 Recent victimization
 Inadequate social
supports
 No insurance
 Protective Factors
 Healthy social supports
 Preventive medicine &
timely health care
 Timely mental health
assessment & services
 Sufficient financial
resources
 Adequate education
 Gainful employment
 No history of
victimization – help for
traumatic experiences
 Insurance coverage
Rev. 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

6. Snapshot of the VIP
The foundation for the core set of services under the VPP umbrella
Serving victims of intentional violent injury ages 14 and older
Reaching residents of Baltimore city & contiguous counties
Evidence-based outcomes:
1) reduction in repeat hospitalization due to violence
gunshot
stab
physical assault
2) reduction in criminal behavior
arrests
convictions
activities
3) increase in pro-social activity
employment
parenting
housing
life skills
mentoring

7.  Recruitment at the hospital bedside
 IRB consent
 Comprehensive questionnaire / assessment
 Service planning
 Role modeling / mentoring
 Referrals to the best community resources
 Advocacy
 Crisis intervention
 Life skill development
 Counseling / peer support group

8. Phase 1
Crisis Intervention &
Enrollment
Assessment
Relationships
Public and Private Safety
Involvement of social
networks
Identification of &
connection to services
Goal identification
Willingness to change
Other?
Phase 2
Goal Development
Rapport Building
Goal solidification
Commitment to change
Develop & reinforce future
orientation
Learn non-violent means of
self-expression & communication
Learn & practice healthy coping
& social skills
Stay community connected
Other…
Phase 3
Goal Solidification
Values Clarification
 Growth in personal responsibility
 Improvements in setting &
reaching personal goals
 Success with referrals & service
plans
 Decrease in violence & other risk
factors
 Increase in pro-social attributes &
other protective factors
Other…
Personal Growth
Significant & substantial
personal accomplishments
Sustained relationships with
community providers
Positive social networks
Protective factors outweigh risk
factors
Other…
Phase 4
Reinforcement
VIP Phases of Intervention:
Rev 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

9. Phase 1
Crisis Intervention &
Enrollment
Assessment
 Eligible for the program?
 Active parole/probation?
 Repeat victim of violence?
 Immediate safety issues?
 Mental health needs?
 Medical concerns?
 Educational history?
 Employment status?
 Illicit substances / alcohol?
 Housing situation?
 Gang affiliation?
 Children?
 Other?
Phase 2
Goal Development
Rapport Building
 Meeting with VIP staff
 Following special conditions
 Identifying risk taking behavior
 Attributing meaning to events
 Practicing new skill sets
 Increasing positive supports
 Completing identified tasks
 Engaging in nonviolence
 Meeting new service providers
 Getting documents in order
 Recognizing stressors
 Other…
Phase 3
Goal Solidification
Values Clarification
 Setting priorities for goals
 Identifying emotional triggers
 Reducing risk taking behavior
 Increasing protective factors
 Managing external stressors
 Incorporating new skill sets
 Planning for the future
 Maintaining positive supports
 Keeping new service providers
 Completing service plans
 Building nonviolent skills
 Other…
Personal Growth
 Utilizing adaptive skills
 Maintaining positive supports
 Self-referring for services
 Making own service plans
 Completing personal tasks
 Role modeling for others
 Volunteering in the community
 Minimizing risk taking behavior
 Maximizing protective factors
 Attributing meaning to events
 Applying nonviolent tenets
 Reconnecting with VIP staff
 Other…
Phase 4
Reinforcement
VIP Phases of Intervention:
Rev 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

10.  Rapport between worker & client
 Strategic community referrals
 Teachable moments / defining moments
 “No topic is taboo” / Values clarification
 Trigger identification for risk taking behaviors
 Positive social support & resource development
 Skill set practice in safe environments
 Getting documents in order
 Ongoing assessment & service plan review
 Conscious use of self
 Respect, Respect, Respect
Rev. 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

11.  Safety (assessments for personal & public lethality need to be ongoing)
 Revenge, retaliation, gang affiliation (past & present)
 Self-injury, impaired impulse control (past & present)
 Impaired functioning (addiction, mental status) (past & present)
 Perpetrator behavior (past & present)
 Benefits (they need identification to apply for benefits & a stable mailing address)
 Social services, disability, food stamps, mobility
 Victim of crime compensation
 Health insurance
 Criminal Justice
 Warrants (ie: may need to contact probation officer of hospitalization to avoid FTA & warrant)
 Special conditions (ie: ex-parte, urination, reporting requirements)
 Active cases (ie: pending charges, pending sentence, multiple jurisdictions)
Rev. 4.2011 Melissa Cole LCSW-C

12.  Substance Abuse / Addiction
 In patient consultation
 Possible detox / community referrals
 Mental Health / Spiritual Needs
 In patient consultation
 In hospital crisis intervention
 Community referrals
 Physical / Medical Needs
 Community referrals & advocacy for ongoing issues
 Housing
 Community referrals for shelters, recovery homes, etc..
 Assessments of living conditions
Rev. 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

13. KEY VARIABLES:
*Motivation
*Capacity
*Support
*Opportunity
* Tasks
*Time Frames
*Obstacles
*Protective Factors
* *Primary & Secondary Gain
*Risk Factors
Rev. 4.2011 Melissa Cole, LCSW-C

14. 110 South Paca Street, 3rd Floor,
Baltimore, MD 21201
Office: 410-328-7436
fax: 410-328-0864