Stand Up SA: Gun Violence Prevention

To mitigate increasing community violence, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District treats violence as a disease. 

About Stand Up SA

Stand Up SA engages with youth and young adults between the ages of 5 to 24. These individual are exposed to some sort of violence. Our staff works closely with each participant to convince them to reject the use of violence. 

Efforts also focus on enrolling high-risk youth into Stand Up SA's Case Management Program. The program connects at-risk individuals with resources, services, and support groups.

Focus

This model focuses on retaliatory crime, in that one act of violence perpetuates another creating a cycle of violence. The model aims to reduce the occurrence of violence through key strategic components:

• Interrupting the direct transmission and spread of violence.
• Identifying and changing the mindset of potential perpetrators.
• Changing community norms regarding violence.

Outreach Workers

All staff members are trained in intervention strategies. The aim is to de-escalate situations and prevent further violence from occurring.

We draw on the credibility that these staff members have acquired through their:

• personal and past experiences with the criminal justice system
• community connections

As outreach workers, staff members will work with area residents, businesses and community-based organizations. They develop relationships and trust within the community in order to "interrupt" violence.

Three targeted neighborhoods include Lincoln Courts, Springhill and Wheatley Courts.

Outreach workers will identify and detect: 

• potential shooting events
• individuals and groups at highest risk of involvement in a shooting or killing

Once identified, they will:

• Intervene in crises.
• Mediate conflicts between individuals and/or groups.
• Connect clients to social services.
• Foster behavior change with information and skills.

Partnerships

Hospitals

Stand Up SA is re-establishing relationships with our two dedicated Level 1 trauma hospitals:

• University Hospital
• Brooke Army Medical Center

These partnerships will allow the hospitals to address the short-term, crisis-driven needs. We can gather critical information and intervene on-site to reduce the chances of violence due to retaliation.

Social Service Programs

We also partner with Chrysalis Ministries. Their social service programs help individuals and families overcome the consequences of incarceration.

This gives us the opportunity to:

• address long-standing needs
• provide access to resources for long-term solutions that improve quality of life