Birmingham officials launch violence intervention program at UAB hospital
Deborah Daniels, director of the Offender Alumni Association, discusses the new program to support victims of gun violence.
Birmingham city leaders and health officials hope a new hospital-based violence intervention program will improve outcomes for survivors of gun violence.
The program, which has been in the works for years, recently launched out of UAB Hospital, offering case management services to young adults being treated for gunshot wounds.
“The goal of this program is to reduce the risk of re-injury of people that have survived a gunshot wound,” said Jefferson County health officer Dr. Mark Wilson during a press conference Wednesday. “The statistics are not good nationally. One study showed that if you follow folks after surviving a gunshot wound, 20% of them will be dead by the end of five years. Over 40% will be re-hospitalized with another violent injury.”
The Offender Alumni Association, a local non-profit that focuses on crime prevention and reentry support, is facilitating the program on the ground.
Team supervisor Carmone Owens said they offer case management services to people and connect them to resources, hoping to address the complex underpinnings of gun violence.
“There’s substance abuse issues. There’s mental health. There’s family engagement. There’s living wage issues. There’s a lot of things that our team comes together to help people put the pieces back together and move forward,” Owens said.
The Jefferson County Department of Health provided a $1.1 million grant to get the program started and has promised long term funding to help sustain the initiative. The city of Birmingham has also committed $2.1 million to support the program during years two and three.
The program is open to patients at UAB Hospital who live in Jefferson County and are between 19-39 years old. Officials said the initiative is already underway, with seven participants so far.
Home mortgage demand surges as rates drop to 6.35%
Rates saw the biggest one-week drop in a year, spurring a spike in new purchase and refinance applications.
No soil required: New York program brings hydroponics to Birmingham students
The program aims to teach students about sustainable food practices and how to combat food deserts in their communities. It comes through a partnership with the New York-based non-profit New York Sun Works and Birmingham’s Jones Valley Teaching Farm.
The killing of Charlie Kirk adds to a time of political upheaval and violence
The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk Wednesday at a college in Utah is the latest in a series of politically motivated violent acts just in recent months.
TB is the #1 killer among infectious diseases. A new study says its toll could mount
New research estimates that as many as 2.2 million more people could die of tuberculosis if U.S. cuts to foreign aid become permanent.
Hollywood loves a story about itself — Seth Rogen racks up Emmy nods for ‘The Studio’
With 23 nominations and nine Creative Arts Emmys already, Seth Rogen's Apple TV+ satire, The Studio, heads into Sunday's Primetime Emmys lampooning its own industry.
Inflation climbs in August as grocery and gas prices jump
Inflation accelerated in August as Americans paid more for gasoline and groceries. Over the last 12 months, consumer prices have risen 2.9%.
