Community Impact
The At-Risk Intervention and Mentoring (AIM) program, initiated in 2010, addresses the root causes of gun violence by linking hospital care with social support, aiming to reduce recidivism through comprehensive care.
AIM's approach includes meeting gunshot victims at their hospital bedsides, providing immediate support and working towards solutions that prevent future violence, such as relocation, housing, education, or therapy.
Funding and Future Challenges
Uncertainty around federal funding due to policy reviews has led AIM and similar programs to seek alternative financing, highlighting the dependency on government support for violence intervention efforts.
Despite the challenges, the program's success in reducing future violence through intervention underscores the importance of addressing social determinants of health to break the cycle of gun violence.