ENCOMPASS Omaha works to provide a new direction

Community violence is a public health crisis across the United States, and Omaha is not immune.

Over the past five years, victims of violence treated by the Nebraska Medicine Trauma Service have increased 117%. In an effort to decrease that percentage, on Thursday, July 1, Nebraska Medicine and UNMC will be awarded funding from the Nebraska Crime Commission, Office of Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) to support a hospital-based violence intervention program called ENCOMPASS Omaha.

ENCOMPASS Omaha, which stands for Engaging Networks within the Community of Omaha to Maintain and Promote a Safe Society, will provide services to address medical, behavioral and social needs to support the recovery and healing of patients enrolled in the program.

“We want to help empower victims of violence and have them return to their communities and make positive changes in their lives,” said Charity Evans, MD, associate professor and division chief of acute care surgery.

Dr. Evans said that the hospital serves as an “entry point” for victims of violence; a “teachable moment” where a patient’s hospital encounter may be the only opportunity to interrupt the cycle of violence.

“We do so by providing culturally competent, long-term intense case management that starts at the bedside and continues after the patient is discharged,” she said.

How does ENCOMPASS Omaha work?

At Nebraska Medicine, all victims of violence have the opportunity to be partnered with a violence intervention specialist who advocates for the patient by:

Who’s eligible to participate in ENCOMPASS Omaha?

• Any age
• Victim of violence (gunshot wound, stabbing, assault (excluding intimate partner violence)
• Admitted to Nebraska Medicine secondary to their injury

“We’re really excited to get this program up and running to begin helping community members,” Dr. Evans said.

For more information about the program to go the website or call 402-559-9154.