Urban League ready to lead Cure Violence program that tackles ‘crime as if it were a disease’

Cure Violence is a global program known for reducing violent crime by taking a public health approach.

NATIONWIDE -- BUT THE CITY OFGRANDPIRADS IS TAKING STEPS TO CURBIT HERE.OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE "CUREVIOLENCE PROGRAM" EARLIERTHIS YEAR AND NOW THEY'VESELECTED A FAMILIAR ROGANIZATIONTO LEAD IT..OUR LAUREN EDWARDS JOINS USLIVE IN GRAND RAPIDS TO TELL USMORE ABOUT THE NEW PROGRAM...?LAUREN?THE CURE VIOLENC EPROGRAM HASBEGUN HERE INGRAND RAPIDS .

THE CITY TAPPEDTHE URBAN LEAGUE TO LEAD IT .WHENI SPOKE WITH THEM THIS MORNING,THEY SAID THEY WERE OPTIMISTICIT'LL BE EFFECTIVEGREGG HAMPSHIRE, DIRECTOR ORFTHECENTER OF HEALTH WELLNESS ANDYOUTH AT THE URBAN LEAGUEit feels amazing.

It's been alongtimecoming.

The Urban League hasbeendoing fantastic community workfornearly 80 years here.10s AND NOW THE URBAN LEAGUEHASA NEW PROGRAM THEY'RE WORKING ONCALLED 'CURE VIOLENCE' WHICHHELPS THEM TACKLE GUN VIOLENCEFROM A PUBLIC HEALTHAPPROACH GREGG HAMPSHIREIt addresses crime specificallyviolentcrime as it if were a disease.So, bytreating it as a disease what wecan do isconnect with those that are atthe highestrisk of exposure.11s TO ULTIMATELY STOPVIOLENCEBEFORE IT BEGINS SAYS DIRECTORGREGG HAMPSHIREWe'll also be using a rollcalled ViolenceInterrupters that will go intothe communities,build rapport and help problemsolve ratherthan resorting to violence.4sHAMSPHIRE SAYS THE PUBLIC HEALTHMODEL IS EVIDENCE BASED NADHELPSPEOPLE HEAL FROM TRAUMA ANDOVERCMEO SUBSTANCE ABUSE... HE SAYS THE METHOD HAS BEENEFFECTIVE ELSEWHERE ITHENCOUNTRYAreas like Yonkers in New Yorkwent 28 months without shootingsor killings.

And different areaslike the 39th ofPhiladelphia experienced over ayear of no deaths.14s IT'S WHAT THEY'RE HOPINGTOACCOMPLISH HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS...AND THE CITY IS CONFIDENT THEURBAN LEAGUE WILL DO IT BRANDONDAVIS, DIRECTOR OF OVERSIGHT ANDPUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THECITY OF GRAND RAPIDSI'm excited to see the communityvoice elevated, to the solutionsthat are proposed by thecommunity backed byscience and evidence andsupported by ourCity leadres.11s BRANDON DAVIS WITH THECITYSAYS TEHYVE ENTERED INTO ACONTRACT WITH CURE VIOLENCEGLOBAL GROUP AND SAY THEY'REGOINGTO BE USING THE PROGRAM FOR AFEW YEARS BRANDON DAVISIn order to see the results thatwe anticipate, it's going totake more than aone-year investment.

So, werelooking atalong the lines of somewhere inthat 3-yeare priod to watch.10s AND THE URBAN LEAGUE SAYSTHEY'RE COMMITTED TO SEEING THEPROGRAMTHROUGH TO FRUITION GREGGHAMPSHIRE, DIRECTOR FOR THECENERT OF HEALTH WELLNESS ANDYOUTH AT THE URBAN LEAGUEWe are already very engaged inthese communities.

So, to beselected is an honr.o6sIF YOU'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED,UYOCAN REACH OUT TO THE URBANLEAGUEDIRECTLY .

THEY SAID THEY'RELOOKING FOR ANYONE THAT HAS AHEART FOR THE COMMUNITY AND AHEART TO STOP THE VIOLENCEBEFORE IT BEGINS .

YOU CAN FINDTHEIR CONTACT INFO ONFOX17ONLINE.COM LIVE IN GRANDRAPIDS, LAUREN EDWARDS, FOX 17NE