Dr. Nakita Lovelady, a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, has established Arkansas’s first hospital-based violence intervention program, Project Heal. Born and raised in a rural Arkansas community plagued by gun violence, Lovelady recognized the need for a program that could help not only in Little Rock but also in rural areas. Project Heal, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and other sources, provides essential support to victims of gun violence, connecting them with community health workers like Caleb Gleason, a survivor turned peer specialist. The program aims to address the root causes of violence and provide holistic rehabilitative care to patients to prevent reinjury and retaliation.
Arkansas has seen a surge in gun violence, with rural communities being disproportionately affected. Lovelady’s research and experience growing up in a rural area have informed the development of Project Heal, which is currently serving the Greater Little Rock area and plans to expand to eight counties by next summer. The program is filling a gap in the South, where gun violence services have been lacking despite high rates of firearm injuries. Lovelady and her team are holding listening sessions and engaging with residents to address the community impacts of shootings.
The establishment of Project Heal represents a shift towards focusing on public health approaches to gun violence, particularly in underserved rural communities. Recognizing the historical context and unique needs of Arkansas, Lovelady and her team are adapting the hospital-based violence intervention model to address the specific challenges faced by their state. With a focus on equity and community engagement, Project Heal is paving the way for violence prevention efforts in the South and beyond.
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Photo credit arktimes.com
