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The Study Participation Process

Volunteering for the Study of Gun Violence is a simple process that we believe you will find informative and rewarding. For completion of each follow-up survey, enrolled participants will receive a gift card.

How the Enrollment Works

• Participants enter the emergency room from the community.

• Pre-Screening takes place for eligibility.

Hospital Participants:

All patients evaluated in the UMMC Emergency Department after an injury involving a firearm will be screened for enrollment by a trained provider within 6 hours of arrival. Within 72 hours, eligible participants will be approached for consent to participate.

Community Participants:

The study staff will call you to discuss the study details. They will briefly describe the expectations of the study and review the eligibility criteria. If you meet the eligibility criteria and are interested in moving forward, you will be scheduled for the next steps.

Follow-up exams will take place about every 3, 6, and 12 months after you are enrolled in the study.

Between Visits:

The study staff are always available to take your calls between study visits if you have questions. Please feel free to contact us at 1-833-435-7147 or violenceresearch@umc.edu.

Specific aims for the UH3 phase include the following:

MS-VIP Clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple interventions designed to reduce firearm-related injuries and prevent future violence. The study will focus on community-based and hospital-linked strategies that support individuals affected by violence, assess their recovery, and measure the broader impact on violence reduction in at-risk areas.

Interventions:

1. Hospital-Linked Violence Intervention Program: Connecting victims to the existing community organization who can provide violence interrupter services to the hospital
2. Unrestricted Cash Assistance: Qualified participants to receive short-term unrestricted cash assistance
3. Mobile Community Support Services: Empowering communities to mobilize their strengths and utilize their community resources and cultural practices to heal, resist, and thrive despite facing gun injury and violence; City-supported mobile services with neighborhood-focused counseling, referral, and support services

This study involves two groups for enrolled patients:

Active (intervention) group: Patients in the Active group will be linked with OG to receive necessary services based on their needs.

Intervention or Active Arm: This arm integrates an existing community-based violence prevention program with hospital services. It includes three key components: (1) Unrestricted Cash Assistance provided to individuals to support their immediate needs, (2) Mobile Community Support Services that offer on-site assistance and resources, and (3) Coordination between hospital and community services to ensure seamless support for individuals affected by violence, promoting recovery and reducing the risk of reinjury or retaliation.

Control or In-active Arm: This group will receive no intervention beyond the standard care provided in the hospital setting. No additional services, cash assistance, or community-based support will be offered. This arm will serve as a comparison group to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.

In-active (non-intervention) group: Patients in the Inactive group will not receive any of these interventions. All patients, regardless of group, will complete study surveys at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months.