A new research program has been developed by a University of Manitoba professor to look at how youth can be helped when it comes to violence in the community.
Dr. Carolyn Snider is also an emergency physician and Manitoba Institute of Child Health researcher, who has found 20% of youth who are injured by violence will return to the hospital with another injury due to violence within the next year.
More than 1,000 youth came to the Health Sciences Centre emergency department last year to be treated for injuries associated with violence.
“The fact that we just treat ‘em and street ‘em, is despicable in my mind. Violence is preventable,” Snider said.
In an effort to break the cycle, Snider, with the help of community organizations, developed the Emergency Department Violence Intervention Program (EDVIP). The program works by meeting youth in the emergency department at the time of their injury and pairs them with a support worker trained in providing wraparound care in order to minimize their future risk of violence-related injury.
Grants already received have been supporting the program, but funds are trying to be raised through the Aviva Community Fund to hire a mental health and addictions counsellor to help youth who have been injured by violence. The public can vote once daily until November 25 by visiting the campaign’s website.
