BALTIMORE—MedStar Health’s partnership with the violence prevention program Safe Streets, that started at MedStar Harbor Hospital earlier this year, will expand to two other Baltimore hospitals with the help of a $25,000 grant from the PNC Foundation.
MedStar Harbor positioned one part-time and one full-time associate, known as hospital responders, in its emergency department to work with both victims and perpetrators of violence. The evidence-based program aims to prevent violence before it occurs by employing street smart community members who have a lived experience with violence.
With the PNC Foundation funding, the Safe Streets program will launch at MedStar Union Memorial and MedStar Good Samaritan hospitals later this month as part of the Woodbourne-McCabe site.
“Violence is a public health threat and at MedStar Health, we feel it is part of our mission to try and reduce it,” said Ryan Moran, director of community health for MedStar Health in Baltimore. “Our existing program at MedStar Harbor Hospital, launched earlier this year, is a key way for us to serve the community and we are glad to be able to help expand it at our other hospitals.”
The responder will deescalate and mediate disputes that could otherwise lead to violence and work to prevent retaliation. The responder will also serve as a positive role model and help connect victims and perpetrators with jobs, education and other resources to help them live better lives.
“PNC is committed to serving the people and communities where we live and work,” said Laura Gamble, PNC regional president for Greater Maryland. “The Violence Reduction Program is one of the ways we invest in communities to help families and individuals access the resources they need to become self-sufficient.”
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About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar’s 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health’s patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.
