o Pathways – The Pathways Program is a life-skills and workforce development program designed for individuals between the ages of 20 and 35, most at-risk of being involved in violence through a health-based program in the areas of employment, education, mental health, conflict resolution and housing stability.
o Violence Intervention Initiative – The Violence Intervention Initiative is designed to significantly reduce violence in the District by establishing a strong presence in communities that have experienced high levels of violence. Three community organizations build partnerships with community members, cultivate relationships with individuals and families most at risk of participating in or being a victim of violence; intercept and interrupt potential violence; and link residents to supports and services need to meet personal goals and objectives. This initiative currently serves 21 priority communities across the city.
o Family and Survivor Support – The FSS division, formerly known as Community Stabilization Protocol, is the District’s response to community violence. The mission of FSS is to coordinate the District’s emergency critical response if: a violence incident becomes a homicide and if a shooting or stabbing involves a juvenile or is believed to be gang/crew related. FSS aims to: facilitate a multi-agency approach to serve survivors and families during crisis; serve as a direct link between survivors, immediate family member and government/community based services providers; and ensure connections to a broad spectrum of services and supports.
o School-Based Initiative – The school-based initiative was created by the Safer, Stronger DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) in August of 2019. The initiative provides wrap-around services to students and their families. This program is utilized as the framework to prevent and reduce juvenile justice involvement among youth with emotional or behavioral health challenges. The school-based initiative partners with DC Public Schools to integrate community supports and services into the school setting to address the social, economic, health, and emotional/behavioral challenges that may impact a child’s success. The school-based initiative encompasses engagement with teachers, staff, administrators, and school resource officers through consultation, expert training, and capacity building activities. Thus, the school-based initiative is an effective strategy to increase access for students and families to mental health prevention supports and treatment services in the school and local community. The school-based initiative is better identified as the ONSE Leadership Academy.
