The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation was recently awarded funding as part of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education’s grant to support innovative healthcare-based solutions to prevent, treat, and heal firearm-related harm.
The funded research project will be led by Vincent E. Chong, MD and Jennifer Reid, MD—investigators at The Lundquist Institute and trauma surgeons and faculty at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For this project, they have partnered with a local community violence intervention organization, Arise & Go, whose mission is to provide transformational services to those impacted by violence and the justice system. Together, the team aims to strengthen the frontline workforce that operates at the intersection of hospitals and communities to interrupt cycles of violence.
Frontline workers play a critical role in hospital-based violence intervention programs, serving as trusted liaisons who support patients, families, and communities impacted by violence. This project will generate new data to help health systems more effectively identify, train, support, and retain this essential workforce.
“Frontline workers have lived experience that they apply throughout their day-to-day work in their communities. Their knowledge of the community we serve is invaluable. So, our efforts as part of this project will include collecting their stories to better understand their journeys and why and how they do the work that they do,” explained Dr. Reid.
The “lived experience” Dr. Reid speaks of is often rooted in the transformation that many of the frontline workers have endured themselves, added Dr. Chong. “We don’t always recognize that many of our frontline workers transformed their lives without the kind of support they willingly offer today,” he said.
Along with this research project, Dr. Reid and Dr. Chong will continue their work co-directing the Safe Harbor Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Program in partnership with Southern California Crossroads, a leading community-based organization in the Los Angeles County violence prevention ecosystem. The Safe Harbor HVIP is also a Lundquist-supported program providing essential services to the community and patients of Harbor-UCLA impacted by violence.
“The success of this work really does rely on the relationship we have with the community. Whether it’s a neighborhood, religious institution, or community organization—these are all partners of ours and we couldn’t do this without their involvement,” Dr. Chong said, noting that Harbor-UCLA Medical Center will also play a significant role in the fruition of this project.
The Lundquist Institute’s project is part of a broader $1.5 million investment announced by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education to advance healthcare-driven approaches to firearm injury prevention and recovery. The 2025 awards emphasize clinical innovation, community-informed leadership, and scalable solutions that address firearm violence as a preventable public health issue.
This highly competitive funding cycle reviewed more than 160 proposals from across the country, with selections based on relevance, potential impact, and the inclusion of lived and community experience in project leadership.
Through this award, The Lundquist Institute continues its commitment to advancing evidence-based research that improves health outcomes, strengthens community partnerships, and addresses some of the most pressing public health challenges facing communities today.
