INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County Public Health Director Dr. Viligina Cain said during a gathering of community stakeholders at Martin University that the department will commit to a seven-figure commitment to combating youth gun violence by 2025. He said he was ready.
“Next year, I am making a personal pledge to donate $2 million to community-based organizations to support efforts in this cause,” Cain told the audience, to applause. “This is a personal effort for us as an organization, but we will also ask others to help us make this happen.”
Dr. Kane told FOX59/CBS4 after the announcement that additional efforts will be made to leverage MCPHD's efforts, along with pledges from Indianapolis charitable donors and businesses, to address gun violence specifically targeting children in Marion County. He said he wanted to raise funds.
“In a city of this size and with an incredible number of organizations and businesses, why can't we have the resources to make the changes that young people need to do differently?” “I'm concerned about gun violence,” she said. It's up to all of us. We must unite. We must have a voice that can provide leadership and change from businesses and organizations. Everyone has to live in this city. We aim for a healthy city where we are comfortable and safe when we walk, and where our children are safe when they walk. ”
Today's funding promise was cemented in an interview public health leaders gave to FOX59/CBS4 last summer. At the time, children said they recognized that firearm injuries among youth are becoming a public health and medical issue, placing a significant burden on families and requiring physicians and surgeons to address firearms. scratch.
Following this recognition, Dr. Cain held a community-wide stakeholder meeting at Ivy Tech in December and at the January meeting named youth gun violence as one of MCPHD's top priorities for the next 10 years. A follow-up summit was held today.
The conference, titled “First Response to Youth Gun Violence,” was attended by approximately 70 people, including community program leaders, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Department of Public Health and Safety personnel, educators, and youth.
The top priority of the MCPHD campaign is to help parents, government agencies, and children find and share information about programs focused on limiting access to guns and dealing with the aftermath of physical and emotional trauma. It's about creating dashboards and directory hubs.
Dr. Kane said he is particularly interested in hearing the stories of youth who have been affected by violence and sharing their experiences directly with other youth in Marion County.
“This is a one-time opportunity to add programs that we think should be added and everyone can see them in one place,” she said.
Kareem Hines of New BOY Mentoring and Youth Development brought six teenagers to the conference, where they were encouraged to give feedback on what was working and what wasn't working with the Department of Health's plan.
“Get down to their level. You have to use your words,” said Patrick Collier, 18. “You have to use food. You have to use every resource you can. Art. Photography. Whatever your child is interested in, you have to get to that level. That's what they need to do. Make it appealing to you because, kids, whether it's good for me or not, we don't care if it's good for you. Including young people when they work with youth, when they work to uplift and support youth, or when they work to change the way youth think about gun violence and solve problems and conflicts. You have to think about their strategy.”
A recent study by IU Indy professor Lauren McGee found that the number of juvenile gunshot injuries in Indianapolis has increased by 300% in the past six years, and 14% of injured children sustained repeat gunshot injuries. There was found.
Riley Hospital for Children has already treated about 20 boys with gunshot wounds this year, two of whom have died.
McGee's investigation found that many boys carried guns because they recognized that their peer groups were also packing.
Collier said teens are arming themselves because they feel isolated.
“I know 14-, 15-, 13-year-olds who carry guns because they feel alone and have no one to protect them and no one to turn to,” Collier said. “They don't have stable connections in their communities that give them a sense of security, so they're going to walk around with pistols and guns, and they're going to find community on the streets, and they're going to find community in gangs.”
Dr. Kane asked stakeholders to complete a survey on their interests and assets as staff prepared for the next meeting, and promised to bring more youth voices into the conversation.
