On February 19, 2019, the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion to officially establish and fund the Office of Violence Prevention within the Department of Public Health (DPH). The charge of this office is to improve coordination and support existing efforts across the county to prevent multiple forms of violence, through a renewed focus on prevention, and to ensure that strategies are responsive to community, and trauma informed. One of the first tasks of the office is to develop an Early Implementation Strategic Plan to identify initial priorities for OVP implementation that best utilizes existing resources and fosters healing through innovation, coordination, communication, and policy change.

The Strategic Plan will guide the infrastructure and initial priorities of OVP and will include:

Intersection of multiple forms of violence and contributing factors (i.e. child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, sexual violence, suicide prevention, youth violence, gang violence, gun safety and policy, elder abuse, systemic violence)

Prevention and intervention, trauma and healing informed approaches, community development/leadership, place-based approaches

Best and promising practices and strategies designed for specific populations

Coordinating violence prevention data and research

Common messaging and communications

Centralized coordination and connecting community organizations, county departments and partners to build capacity and align efforts

Advancing policy and systems change

We are grateful for the tremendous show of support from stakeholders across the county and from multiple county department in helping to establish the OVP. We look forward to ongoing conversations to ensure that a wide range of voices and perspectives is incorporated to inform the strategic plan and the work ahead.

More details about work done to date can be found in the sections below. If you have questions or comments about OVP or would like to be included in an upcoming listserv, contact us at ivpp@ph.lacounty.gov or call 213.351.1901.

Gun Violence Day Press Release

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) recognizes Gun Violence Awareness Day by reminding everyone that gun violence is preventable, and the epidemic of gun violence is one of the most significant public health issues of current times.

In a motion authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 2, 2019 as  Gun Violence Awareness Day joining other jurisdictions in support of research into the causes and solutions to gun violence including policy change at the federal level.

“Violence in all forms is unacceptable but gun violence in particular is an issue of grave concern given its lethality and the daily toll we see in the lives of victims and their family and friends, and in society overall,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "Efforts are needed at all levels to address the scourge of gun violence and to create communities where everyone feels safe and can thrive."

For more information and to participate in Gun Violence Awareness Day activities, visit:

·         Louder Than Guns LA: https://www.louderthanguns.org

·         Wear Orange: https://wearorange.org

·         Everytown for Gun Safety: http://everytown.wecanendgunviolence.org

·         Prevention Institute: https://www.preventioninstitute.org/focus-areas/preventing-violence-and-reducing-injury/preventing-violence-advocacy

• April 5, 2019: OVP Public Launch Event : DPH, in partnership with Supervisorial District 2, and many community and county partners, hosted a public launch event of OVP during Public Health Week. An article and video of the event can be viewed here.

• Eradicating Community Violence

Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Public Health, 11833 Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059

The Healing Center provides a safe community space to support dialogue and mobilize community resources. The Center provides a variety of free programming including cultural and arts programming, support groups, and educational classes to promote health, healing and well-being.

• 4/1/19 Press Release: Community Healing and Trauma Prevention Center Hours Extended

• April 2019 Healing Center Calendar

•  March 13, 2018 Motion and Board Action to develop plan for OVP

•  June 15, 2018 DPH Memo to Board

• February 19, 2019 Motion and Board Action to Establish OVP
  

• March 13, 2019: Building a Movement for Violence Prevention in LA County.
  California Wellness Foundation partnered with DPH to host a convening of violence prevention and intervention experts across multiple forms of violence

• March 18, 2019: Stakeholder Convening and Report Findings. 1-3 PM, Belvedere Park.
  Prevention Institute presented their analysis of stakeholder perspectives and recommendations regarding OVP to community partners

• DPH conducted more than 25 stakeholder interviews with organizations dedicated to violence prevention across the county and continues to talk with partners to inform ongoing work of OVP.

• DPH surveyed county departments to understand their current violence prevention efforts and to identify opportunities to align efforts.

OVP will provide multiple opportunities for a variety of stakeholders to be involved in strategic planning and implementation. Governance Structure Chart

• A County Leadership Committee was established in January 2019 to facilitate coordination across departments and to guide OVP efforts as well as identify systems change opportunities.
  
  - County Leadership Committee Charter
  
  -  County Leadership Committee - Participating Departments

• A Community Partnership Council will be established to provide infrastructure for community partners across the county and with expertise in multiple forms of violence to facilitate communication between their broader stakeholder networks and OVP and guide strategic planning and implementation.

• First5LA provided matching funds to DPH to support OVP strategic planning and has contracted with
  Chapin Hall to do this work. First5LA has also shared information and expertise from the
  Center for Collective Wisdom to incorporate a trauma informed systems approach into OVP.
  
  Draft Strategic Plan Outline

•  DPH contracted with Prevention Institute to conduct listening sessions across the county and interviews with key informants with expertise in different types of violence.
  
   Stakeholder Perspectives and Recommendations

• DPH is partnering with the LA County Commission on Human Relations to incorporate hate violence prevention in OVP strategic planning. On July 17, 2018 the Board of Supervisors passed a motion to Protect Vulnerable Communities from Hate Crimes.

• Blue Shield of California provided funding for a one-year demonstration project to ensure that domestic violence and the voices of survivors are integrated in the development of the OVP strategic plan.

• The LA County Arts Commission awarded DPH and artist and residence to support OVP engagement and planning.

DPH is compiling and analyzing a variety of data sources to better understand the impact of multiple forms of violence in LA County and co-occurring facts that contribute to violence. These analyses will help prioritize the work of OVP and determine how best to build infrastructure for data sharing and evaluation.

• Draft Analysis Plan

• Slides: Snapshot of Violence and Co-Occurring Factors in LA County