Hospital & Police Collaboration
Collect anonymous data from the ER to more effectively map violence in our city
Hospital & Police Collaboration Explained:
Using the Cardiff Model as a guide, Springfield Hospitals and Springfield Police Officers will create a working collaborative and data sharing system. Usually, ER nurses serve as the data collectors within this system - adding a few critical and anonymous questions to the intake process regarding whether the patient's visit is due to a violent event, where the event took place, and what violence took place. This data is then mapped and shared with police officers to more specifically identify areas experiencing the most violence. Once this data is collected, it would be shared out routinely with the Community-Wide Network of Care. This would enable all stakeholders to look closely at the data to track what areas need the most attention and can serve as a data piece to evaluate successes as well as unmet needs. Why it's needed:
According to cities already implementing the Cardiff Model, including Atlanta, GA, only 23% of violence is reported to the Police. As Chief Williams has expressed, our police force is already short officers and is working diligently to keep our community safe. However, this responsibility lies within our entire community. As we collect data on specific areas to target, we will be able to utilize community supports more effectively and will also more clearly understand the extent of need within Springfield. We already spend millions on reactionary measures. This strategy would be community and relationship based. It would focus on tracking all violence that occurs on a daily basis - not solely gun violence - creating a comprehensive picture of what's occurring. Cities implementing these models have seen continued reduction in violence within their cities over several years - leading to fewer hospitalizations and fewer police encounters. This would lessen the load on our police force, save our community money in medical and legal costs, and create a safer environment for everyone. With ER staff in North Springfield feeling the need to take self-defense classes as a part of professional learning to address the violence they encounter, a change is definitely needed and desired. Cox Hospital has already expressed an interest in learning more about this model. We plan to reach out to Mercy Hospital as well to ensure a community-wide collaborative effort. The Cardiff Model has shown a savings of "over $19 in criminal justice costs and nearly $15 in health system costs for every $1 spent." Let's invest in a program that gives back to our community - one that saves money and lives. |
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