Dr. Randi Smith Wins $2 Million Grant to Support Violence Intervention Efforts at Grady
OCTOBER 2023
Randi Smith, MD, MPH, was named the recipient of a notable Department of Justice (DOJ) Grant Award under the Office of Justice Programs Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). This award is in recognition of Dr. Smith’s work spearheading the Interrupting Violence in Youth and Young Adults (IVYY) program, a hospital-based violence intervention program at Grady Memorial Hospital. The award is part of a DOJ initiative to support public safety and community justice activities and to “curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.”
This new grant will provide Dr. Smith and the IVYY team with $2 million in funding to support their efforts to protect local communities from the cyclical spread of violence.
The IVYY Program aims to approach violence differently, treating it as a public health crisis, rather than a public safety issue. IVYY focuses on patients ages 14 to 34 who are victims of violence or assault, providing resources and support to them and their families. Research shows that victims of violence are at an increased risk for reinjury and retaliation. The IVYY program works with volunteers – “Credible Messengers” – who meet with survivors and serve as advocates for their needs, helping to interrupt the cycle. According to the Grady 2023-2025 Community Health Improvement Plan, goals around IVYY include providing “comprehensive care to victims of violence including mental health services, social needs support, life skills, legal services, etc.”
Dr. Randi Smith serves as a trauma surgeon, emergency/elective general surgeon, and surgical critical care intensivist at Grady Memorial Hospital. In 2017, Dr. Smith joined the Violence Prevention Task Force, based out of the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE), and became a core member of the Program to Interrupt Violence through Outreach and Treatment (PIVOT) at Grady.
Congratulations Dr. Smith!