STOPPING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

Youth Violence is a chronic epidemic in Alameda County in general and in Oakland in particular. Alameda, the largest Bay Area County, has more than one in three youth living below the poverty line, significantly higher than the Bay Area average of 15%. It also has the highest assault victimization rate in the region.

In addition to the emotional and social costs, it is estimated that the average financial costs of treating a gunshot wound victim is over $40,000 and 60-80% of these costs are paid by the public. The Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) Highland Hospital Campus sees more than 400 youth victims of violence each year.  The need for comprehensive services to break the cycle of violence is greater than ever.

A “revolving door” of violence: after youth are injured and hospitalized, they and their friends often retaliate, causing even more injuries or death, arrest, and incarceration. One violent act leads to another . . . and another . . . and another. The violent cycle continues.

Your support of the YVPP has enabled us to encourage youth participants to re-enroll in school, receive mental health counseling and job training, secure part-time and full-time employment and find relief from crisis situations involving housing, food, transportation and health care. We are all stakeholders - either directly or indirectly, violence affects everyone.  Therefore, your support of our Youth Violence Prevention Program will go a long way to reduce retaliation, re-injury and arrest; and to promote positive alternatives to violence.

The Youth Violence Prevention Program (YVPP) is a partnership between the Alameda County Medical Center and Caught in the Crossfire, an intervention program of Youth ALIVE!, an agency  dedicated to preventing youth violence. This partnership works to prevent violent injury reoccurrence and retaliation among youth between the ages of 12 and 20 who are being treated at Highland Hospital for violent injuries. Caught in the Crossfire is a pioneering hospital visitation program in which young adults, from the same communities as the injured youth they serve, are trained and hired to work intensively as models, mentors, and case managers with the youth and their families for up to one year. The program has been able to provide services to over 800 youth since its inception in 1994.