CIVIC: Community Inspired Violence Intervention Coalition
Join us to develop solutions and identify needs - TOGETHER!
CIVIC is on a mission to develop an evidence-based, community-led violence intervention program that addresses the root causes of violence, interrupts conflict, and supports those at most risk of experiencing violence.
Add Your Voice: Attend a Community Town Hall
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Saturday, April 20, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Central Park Community Center
1534 SW Clay St -
Monday, April 22, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Oakland Community Center
801 NE Poplar St -
Saturday, April 27, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Hillcrest Community Center
1800 SE 21st St
What is CIVIC?
Goals:
Engage Neighborhoods
Build Trust and Collaboration
Data Collection and Analysis
Partner Identification
Select CVI Strategies
Create Supportive Implementation Structure
Develop Trauma-Informed Approaches
Develop and Support CVI Staff
In 2023, a team representing a variety of agencies, organizations, and community members across Shawnee County began meeting weekly to discuss community violence, current initiatives, and opportunities. As one of 8 teams awarded funding by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), they are now equipped with the support resources needed to complete a comprehensive community violence assessment, and implement one of more Community Violence Intervention (CVI) strategies.
Thanks to a second grant from the Federal Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, the team is ready to develop an evidence-based, community-led violence intervention program utilizing a public health approach that addresses the root causes of violence, interrupting conflict, and supporting those at most risk of experiencing violence.
What Can You Do?
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Fill out the Community Violence Survey
Open until April 30
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Fill out the Community Health Needs Assessment
Open until April 30
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Sign the Declaration
Add your name to the declaration declaring Racism Is a Public Health Crisis.
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Get Involved in the Community
Join your Neighborhood Improvement Association and know your representatives.
Violence Is an Epidemic
Disparities for Black and Brown people in Topeka/Shawnee County has created a Public Health Crisis.
Like a disease, violence:
Clusters - Spreads - Transmits through exposure, modeling, and social norms.
How do we stop it?
Interrupt Transmission: Identify and treat those at highest risk for involvement in violence using credible messengers
Prevent Future Spread: Change behavior of the highest risk
Change Group Norms: Move away from the punitive approaches that traumatize people and towards an approach that provides care and healing
Address Root Causes: Provide resources and support to improve the social determinants of health factors
Poverty Rate
Infant Mortality Rate
In Shawnee County, Black and Brown babies are 3.8 times more likely to die than white babies.
Housing Burdened
52 % of Black and 36 % of Latinx residents in Shawnee County cannot afford to rent a safe two-bedroom unit, compared to 30% of white residents.
Homicide
Black/African American residents experience a homicide rate 10 times higher than that of white residents.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Topeka Citywide Housing Market Study (2020), and Kansas Health Matters.
This Web site is funded in whole or in part through a grant awarded by the Kansas SCIP Advisory Board from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice as administered by the Kansas Governor’s Grants Program. Neither the Kansas SCIP Advisory Board, Kansas Office of the Governor, nor the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).