JOHN RICH, MD, CO-DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR NONVIOLENCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE: Healing Hurt People is a unique, trauma-informed, hospital-based violence intervention program that focuses on young people who have been victims of violence and who are seen in a hospital setting. The program is designed to engage a young person at the time of their injury, when we know they are—when they're at greatest risk for re-injury, retaliation, but most especially the symptoms of trauma—post traumatic stress disorder.
TED CORBIN, MD, CO-DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR NONVIOLENCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE: Our patients are really traumatized. We see the symptoms do decrease when they interact with our community intervention specialists and partake in some of the program activities.
JOHN RICH: The program is designed to treat the mental health consequences of violence and to help young people plug into supports: medical, behavioral health, but also economic, housing—whatever the needs are.
WOMAN: So, I—just before I saved it to the T drive—wanted to see if there was any feedback...
JOHN RICH: Since its inception, and since the replication of the program across a number of other trauma centers in Philadelphia, more than 1,800 young people have been served by the program.
JOSÉ FERRAN, JR., INTERVENTION PEER SPECIALIST, HEALING HURT PEOPLE: I was a participant
of Healing Hurt People in 2011, after I was injured in the midst of community violence. I went to SELF group and I started sharing what I'd been learning; I'd been sharing the hope that I have received. I went back to college to be a social worker, and I was inspired by the individuals who helped me.
JOHN RICH: The impact of Healing Hurt People has changed the conversation about violence among young people in health settings.
TED CORBIN: When we see the improvement of the lives of the young people that we work with, that's our reward.
