Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County Indy HeartBeat Project

This program aims to support and enhance efforts in more places to help catalyze and further the prevention and response to children’s exposure to violence and youth victimization and violence, especially gun and gang violence, through fully comprehensive approaches to violence and the promotion of well-being for youth.

The Indy HeartBeat project of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), Indiana, a municipal unit of government, addresses the need for youth violence interventions in Indianapolis through a multifaceted, cross-sector approach. The key aspect of the project is a two-pronged approach that provides interventions at the individual/family level, while at the same time preventing and reducing crime at the overall community level through outreach, improved social and economic factors, and violence interruption education. Goals, objectives, and deliverables for Indy HeartBeat use the principles set forth in the Shared Framework for Reducing Youth Violence and Promoting Well Being as its blueprint. HHC will work in conjunction with a number of partners to reduce youth violence in the targeted neighborhoods. HHC will collaborate with the Mayor’s Office for the City of Indianapolis, EmployIndy, the Indy Chamber, and the Marion County Department of Child Services in this effort. Under the guidance of this collaborative entity and through Eskenazi Health’s Prescription for Hope and the Marion County Public Health Department’s Violence Prevention Program, HHC will administer longer term interventions, wraparound services, and other social services to high risk/need youth living at the Blackburn Terrace and Twin Hills public housing complexes. Additionally, HHC will rely on other entities under the project umbrella, such as Social Work Department, Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Health, Legacy House, and Eskenazi Health locations, to further increase services provided to residents of this targeted area.
CA/NCF