Hospital Based Violence Intervention (HVIP) is a specific, evidence based, violence intervention methodology that involves partnerships between hospitals and frontline and community agencies. Beginning at the point of injury, victims are offered wrap-around services and support, including case management, to reduce the risk of re-injury or becoming an offender themselves.
In Connecticut, Hartford Communities that Care along with Saint Francis Hospital formed the first HVIP to be recognized by national partner, the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (The HAVI) in 2004. Since that partnership formed, more than 1,200 victims and their families have been served.
In 2019, just before the Pandemic hit, after a legislative forum on community violence led by Hartford Communities that Care, the Connecticut Hospital Violence Collaborative was born. This entity includes the Hartford HVIP Partnership as well as partner HVIPs in Bridgeport and New Haven. Together with other stakeholders, the mission of the CT HVIP is to strengthen and expand the HVIP safety net across the state through training, research, sharing of best practices and collaboration.
Connecticut Takes Lead Role in Professionalizing Front Line Violence Prevention
In June of 2021, Governor Lamont signed historic legislation making Connecticut the first in the nation to implement guidance from the Biden Administration to use Medicaid as a tool to support community gun violence reduction.
HB5677 AN ACT CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID makes those Violence Prevention Professionals (VPP) who have been on the job longer than 6 months and who have completed an intensive training through national partner the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) eligible to have their services reimbursed under Medicaid. The Connecticut HVIP Leadership team worked closely with our legislative partners, stakeholder the Connecticut Hospital Association and national partners the HAVI and Giffords Law Center to achieve this legislative victory.
CT HVIP in the News
A leader on gun safety, Sen. Blumenthal plans how CT's laws can be adapted nationally
Seeking to build on last year's gun-safety breakthrough in Congress aimed at curbing so-called straw purchases of guns while strengthening red-flag laws, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Thursday told a virtual roundtable of advocates and health professionals that at the very least, President Joe Biden could convene a national Office of Gun Violence Prevention through an executive order.
