Launching the Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (Houston-HVIP): Developing and Evaluating a Hospital-Based Intervention to Reduce Recurrent Violence

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston274 enrolled

Overview

A prior violent injury is one of the strongest predictors of future violent injury, highlighting the importance of effective hospital-based interventions to prevent reinjury. This project will establish and evaluate the Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (Houston-HVIP). Using a randomized controlled trial, the study will assess the effectiveness of Houston-HVIP in reducing violent reinjury and improving behavioral, mental, and physical health outcomes over a 12-month follow-up period among those enrolled in the study in ages 16-35 years of age.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

274

Conditions

Firearm Injury

Interventions

Houston-HVIP treatment

Participants will be assigned a case manager to provide a brief assessment of , psychological and social needs and a risk assessment and create individualized discharge planning. Participants will be referred to tailored social service programs based on the needs, including assessments of social determinants of health, educational and financial needs, and subsequent referral for programs such as job training, educational support, housing assistance, or financial assistance programs for identified needs. Participants identified at risk for violence perpetration via a risk assessment screener will be referred to the violence interrupter services. Long-term opportunities for engagement with the trauma survivors' network within Memorial Hermann Hospital will be available and encouraged.Participants will receive a structured curriculum that will include regular check-in with an assigned case manager over 6 months to promote successful community-based program integration and completion.

Standard of CareBEHAVIORAL

Participants will be assigned a case manager to meet with the injured patients to briefly assess (a) psychological and social needs and (b) a risk assessment and create individualized discharge planning. Resources for the patient to connect with social service programs will be provided by the case manager. Long-term opportunities for engagement with the trauma survivors' network within Memorial Hermann Hospital will be available and encouraged. Follow-up contacts and services from an assigned case manager over two weeks following discharge from the hospital to ensure that the patient has contacted the community-level violence outreach organizations.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 16 YearsMax age: 35 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * presented for a gunshot injury stemming from community violence at Memorial Hermann Hospital * English or Spanish-speaking * provide informed voluntary consent to participate in the study * live in Harris County at time of enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * presenting for a firearm injury arising from a self-inflicted gunshot or unintentional gun violence * actively detained by criminal justice systems at time of enrollment

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in repeat violent victimization as assessed by the number of participants who return to the hospital system for for an intentional firearm injury