Healing Hurt People: A Trauma-Informed Approach for Victims of Urban Violence

Healing Hurt People (HPP) works with clients who are seen in the emergency department (ED) for intentional injuries (gunshot, stab, or assault wounds). The program was designed to address the physical, emotional, and social needs that victims of violence face after being released from the ED. Often, individuals who have been violently injured have reported thoughts to either change their way of life or to retaliate. Most often these youth return, without any supports, to the hostile environment in which they were injured. HPP uses a trauma-informed approach to capitalize on this potentially life-changing moment and address the needs of these youth by providing connection to resources, such as medical follow-up, emotional support for post-traumatic stress, mentoring, working with schools to help students affected by school violence, housing, substance abuse treatment, recreation, legal services, and after-school program referral. HHP is the cornerstone program of the Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice, it is a community-focused, hospital-based program designed to reduce re-injury and retaliation among youth aged 8–30. The program is affiliated with the Emergency Department at Hahnemann University Hospital, Drexel University College of Medicine, and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.