Peace in Motion: Toledo's Path to Community Safety
Enhancing the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention (CVIP) Ecosystem
For the past year, the City of Toledo's Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement has convened a Community Action Table to work directly with Toledoans impacted by gun violence to develop a list of recommendations that will guide our decisions for the next five years. The result of this work is this draft plan. This group includes health care professionals, family members of victims and survivors, grassroots organizations, institutional leaders, faith leaders, academics, and more.
Now, we are reaching out to the larger Toledo community for feedback. We appreciate the time you have taken to review the draft plan, and the care you are showing by getting involved.
Now, we are reaching out to the larger Toledo community for feedback. We appreciate the time you have taken to review the draft plan, and the care you are showing by getting involved.
This plan was developed from the work of eight unique working groups at the Community Action Table. The full action table met once a month, and the individual groups met and worked independently. The outcome is a list of recommendations for the community based on the gaps they identified from existing solutions and remaining needs within the community.
The eight groups developed 42 recommendations which were arranged into five pillars.
This pillar, Enhancing the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Ecosystem, has 14 of the 42 total recommendations. This pillar focuses on our goal to implement and share evidence-based practices throughout Toledo's existing CVIP ecosystem so that the work being done to reduce gun violence aligns with best practices and to create a broad coalition of dedicated stakeholders committed to this work.
You may also provide more detailed feedback for any (or all) of the other pillars and their recommendations or the plan more generally by visiting our website at toledo.oh.gov/peace
The eight groups developed 42 recommendations which were arranged into five pillars.
This pillar, Enhancing the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Ecosystem, has 14 of the 42 total recommendations. This pillar focuses on our goal to implement and share evidence-based practices throughout Toledo's existing CVIP ecosystem so that the work being done to reduce gun violence aligns with best practices and to create a broad coalition of dedicated stakeholders committed to this work.
You may also provide more detailed feedback for any (or all) of the other pillars and their recommendations or the plan more generally by visiting our website at toledo.oh.gov/peace
14 Recommendations
Please give us an idea of how important you think each of the following recommendations is for the overall goal of reducing gun violence in Toledo as it relates to the work of Enhancing the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention (CVIP) Ecosystem.
Save Our Community Sustainability Plan
Considering the existing strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities—including the end of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding after 2025—how should the city’s backbone CVIP program look in the future? Develop a model to sustain SOC beyond 2025, including where the program should be housed, how it should be structured, and how it should be funded.
Hospital-Based Violence Intervention
Establish a hospital-based violence intervention based on best practices at the trauma center with the highest volume of gun violence victims.
CVIP Academy
Establish an academy that trains CVIP organizations, individuals, and programs in evidence-informed CVIP practices, models, and strategies. The academy will provide foundational expertise and capacity to sustain CVIP programs.
Foundational Competencies for Victim & Crisis Response
Establish foundational, evidence-based requirements for the network engaged in a coordinated response to gun violence. These will likely include best practices in victims’ services and the NOVA Community Crisis Response model.
72-Hour Community Response and Continuum of Care
Coordinate initial contact and begin trauma-informed safety planning within 72 hours of an incident. Offer appropriate services and support, including meeting with families and networks to diffuse tension and reduce the likelihood of retaliation; provide support and de-escalation at memorials; provide a safe space; and rapid relocation.
Victim & Survivor Services Team
Develop a community-based victim and survivor services team that assists individuals and families in the aftermath of violent crimes.
Social Media Intervention Team
Adapt the E-Responder training to the local context to interrupt potential and actual violence connected to social media. If an inflammatory post is made, violence interrupters will contact the involved parties or their social ties to de-escalate, mediate, and peacefully resolve conflicts. In addition, build a network of credible community members trained in E-Responder. This network will track incidents, intervention results, and follow-up services.
Youth Fellowship / Leadership Program
Develop a fellowship program that centers the voices, perspectives, and skills of youth heavily impacted by gun violence. Youth will engage in service learning, action research, and problem-solving; they will also be compensated for their time.
Rapid Relocation
Procure and/or tap into existing resources for rapid relocation. Develop a regional network of supportive programs for relocation between cities.
Technical Assistance for CVIP in Community-Based Organizations
Develop a position and suite of services and supports to advance the capacity-building efforts included in the comprehensive plan.
Foundational and ongoing training specific to CVIP: Support network of people closest to the work with training and ongoing practice in restorative justice, restorative practices, mediation, Rewire CBT, NOVA, and other foundational skills for violence intervention and prevention.
Foundational and ongoing training specific to CVIP: Support network of people closest to the work with training and ongoing practice in restorative justice, restorative practices, mediation, Rewire CBT, NOVA, and other foundational skills for violence intervention and prevention.
Bolster an Umbrella CVIP Organization
Support a local organization engaged in CVIP to serve as the umbrella organization. This organization will be responsible for capacity-building programming and administrative work, including grant writing, reporting, acting as a fiscal agent, and managing payroll for grassroots CVIP organizations.
Increase Credible Mentorship
Identify and bolster existing mentorship programs that work with opportunity youth and young adults. Identify and procure funding to implement one evidence-informed mentorship program designed to work directly with youth at highest risk of exposure to gun violence.
Regional CVIP Convening
Convene CVIP, systems, public safety, and other relevant stakeholders for a conference to discuss best and emerging practices, connect and enhance networks of support for clients, communities, and organizations, and celebrate progress in the field of violence intervention.
Is there anything you would like to add regarding the decisions you made above?
Please choose what you would consider the top three most important recommendations from this list. Drag them to the right panel in order of first, second, and third most important to you. *
We have immediate (1 yr.), mid-term (2-3 yr.) and long-term (4+ yr.) goals. Ranking these recommendations will help us better understand how the community might arrange those priorities.
Since the Cost of Gun Violence Study is already complete, we are not including it in this ranking.
Since the Cost of Gun Violence Study is already complete, we are not including it in this ranking.
Why did you choose the three recommendations you did?
Which, if any, of the five pillars do you intend to offer additional comments for?
You can select multiple options.