Bronx Council Member Amanda Farías Allocated $25,000 to Jacobi Medical Center’s Stand Up to Violence Program

Bronx Council Member Amanda Farías Allocated $25,000 to Jacobi Medical Center’s Stand Up to Violence Program

Stand up to Violence has seen a 59% decrease in gunshot wound victims in the precinct areas they service

 

The Bronx, NY- Council Member Amanda Farías presented a check of $25,000 to support Jacobi’s Stand Up to Violence program. The Stand Up to Violence (SUV) program is the first hospital-run Cure Violence based program in the nation. At the press conference SUV reported that they have seen a 59% decrease in the chance for violent re-injury in SUV patients and a 59% decrease in gunshot wound victims in the precinct areas that SUV serves.

 

The Council Member has committed funds to aid this critical program in fighting gun violence as the public health crisis that it is. The SUV program began in 2014 and exists within the 49th, 47th, and 43rd precincts in the Bronx. The 43rd precinct is within Council District 18, which Council Member Farías represents.

 

At the press conference in Jacobi Medical Center, Council Member Amanda Farías stated, “This program is the success that it is because of how ingrained our SUV leaders are in the communities they service. As the Council Member who represents the 43rd I am grateful for your work and honored to have a partner like you in our backyard. Gun violence is not caused by a singular issue, nor will it be solved with a singular solution. In communities like ours, in Soundview, Castle Hill, Clason Point and more, gun violence is something we hear about and deal with more than any of us would like to. But the work that SUV is doing makes a difference and I know that together we will continue to bring down the rates of gun violence in our communities, especially for our young people. Senator Chuck Schumer was right here in 2021 talking about SUV, and he said ‘This program works but it needs some money.’ Well, I am thrilled to answer that call and invest in the SUV program today.”

 

Dr. Noe Romo, a pediatrician who serves as SUV’s Medical Director, said, “Thank you Councilwoman for your support. We are the only true level one pediatric and adult trauma center in the Bronx and we respond to the majority of the trauma patients here in the Bronx.” He continued, “The patients that are seen by our team have a 59% decreased chance of coming back reinjured within 3 months of being discharged and are two times more likely to come back for their outpatient scheduled follow ups. That is critical as in terms of how we are able to reduce morbidity and mortality in the patients that we have seen.”

 

 

Kwame Thompson, Outreach Supervisor for SUV, said, “We thank Council Member Amanda for your partnership and support and believing in the work that we do. Here at SUV our job is to work to reduce the gun violence in the community by mediations and working with the highest risk individuals that are most likely to shoot someone or be shot. With partnerships like this we are able to have close to 15 outreach workers, 3 supervisors, hospital responders to go forward with this work to reduce gun violence in our community.” He continued, “We are seeing these participants become more active in reaching out to our credible messengers instead of picking up a gun, now they are picking up a phone asking for help.”

 

John Doyle, Associate Director of Public Relations at Jacobi Medical Center, stated, “I am here today on behalf of CEO Christopher Mastromano who could not be here today. I want to thank the Council Member for her support of this program.” He continued, “Something that always stuck out to me was a medical study that was done that said if you were brought into the ER with an intentionally inflicted traumatic injury there is a 1 in 5 chance that you will be dead within 5 years. It is the work that these guys do everyday in the streets. They are credible messengers who can show people a different side of life and show people there is a need to put down the guns and the knives and everything else.”

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