Bronx officials push for anti-violence program helping victims

Council Member Amanda Ferias is stepping up with a $25,000 backing to combat violence in the Bronx.
The $25,000 check is in support of the Stand Up To Violence program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi.
The program is the first hospital-run cure violence-based program in the nation. It aims to address the needs of victims of violent trauma. The initiative began during the summer of 2014 using a dual outreach and a hospital response approach. The program's staff includes licensed social workers and pediatricians.
Program staff members work closely with their co-workers at the medical center to offer support, something Ferias says is key as the city continues to see a surge of violence.
Officials are sending the message that these are the necessary steps in order to see a change in communities.