SOUTH CAROLINA (WACH) — The South Carolina Department of Public Health is asking for community feedback to create its first statewide plan for Community Violence Intervention and Prevention (CVIP) programs.

From October 30, 2024, to December 20, 2024, DPH and ISI Consulting, will distribute a survey to gather insight from residents about community violence.

The survey will be available in English and Spanish.

The information collected will be shared in January 2025 and will help establish goals and strategies for the CVIP program.

The information may influence local decisions and foster collaboration among various groups.

“Community violence is a prevalent issue in South Carolina, like many other states,” said Constance Lake, DPH’s CVIP program manager. “DPH is excited to fund local programs with the ultimate goal of reducing violence and keeping South Carolinians and our communities safe.”

The CVIP program also provides mini-grants to nonprofits and community partnerships that work with areas heavily affected by violence.

Previous grant recipients include Be Strong Families, which focuses on educating parents and youth about gun violence, and the Medical University of South Carolina’s Turning the Tide program, which launched the state’s first hospital-based violence intervention initiative.

South Carolina has ranked among the top 10 states for firearm-related homicides over the past 20 years.

In 2021, firearms were the leading cause of death for children and adolescents aged 0-17 across the state.

The CVIP program was established in 2022 by the South Carolina Legislature and funded through the CDC’s “Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce and Data Systems” grant.

Comments are closed.