ST. LOUIS — Two St. Louis nonprofits have been selected to operate additional Cure Violence locations in the city.
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced on Tuesday the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis will operate the site within the Walnut Park neighborhood and Employment Connection will operate the site within the Dutchtown neighborhood.
"Cure Violence stops the spread of violence by using the methods and strategies associated with disease control – detecting and interrupting conflicts, identifying and treating the highest risk individuals, and changing social norms – resulting reductions in violence of up to 70%," the Cure Violence website said.
“I am glad to have Cure Violence launched in three high violence areas of our City. Preventing violence by intervening in disputes before violent crime occurs is key to the Cure Violence model,” said Mayor Lyda Krewson. “It’s equally beneficial to see that we are including more than one provider so we can expand our capacity and cover more ground.”
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the amounts of each contract are not to exceed $750,000 and will both be in effect through July 31, 2021. The contracts are also subject to approval by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which will consider the matter on Wednesday, July 15.
Mayor Krewson said her office anticipates having the additional sites online by and around Aug. 1.
“I’m hopeful they will build on the positive impact we’re seeing at our first site in Wells-Goodfellow,” Mayor Krewson tweeted. “Treating violence as a public health crisis and interrupting and intervening in disputes before they turn into violent crime are central to the Cure Violence model, which is one important tool for us as we confront violent crime in our City,” she also said in a tweet.
St. Louis previously allocated $7 million to implement the Cure Violence model in three different sites over three years.
“The vote today brings us one step closer to establishing Cure Violence in the Walnut Park and Dutchtown neighborhoods,” said Dr. Fredrick L. Echols, Acting Director of Health for the City of St. Louis. “The Department of Health is looking forward to working with the Urban League, Employment Connection, and Cure Violence Global to ensure the programs maintain the fidelity of the Cure Violence model and reduce gun violence in these neighborhoods.”
The president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis said the nonprofit is ready to get started.
“The Urban league is truly grateful to the City of St. Louis for having the faith in our agency to implement the Cure Violence model. Our Public Safety Department, under the leadership of James Clark, is ready to get started immediately to work to combat the crime and violence in our City. We will also bring a concentrated focus of resources from all the 50 programs that we conduct in these areas,” said Michael McMillan, President & CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.
According to a release from the mayor’s office, the Department of Health previously contracted with Employment Connection to implement a Cure Violence site in the Wells-Goodfellow and Hamilton Heights neighborhoods. The site has been in operation since June 1.
“We have recruited and engaged a talented team of individuals who have been working diligently to build relationships with high-risk individuals and stakeholders in these communities, and they have been warmly received. Our team has already responded to multiple crime scenes where gun violence has occurred and have also been providing conflict mediation and de-escalation services to individuals who were planning to use firearms to settle disputes. We also look forward to connecting these clients to our other comprehensive services, including job training and placement, behavioral health counseling, and housing/utility assistance, as we support them on their pathway to self-sufficiency and personal success,” said Sal F. Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Employment Connection.
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