Preventing youth violence with community health workers and legal help
CHAMP-V + LAW: A program to prevent youth violence through community health worker and civil legal aid interventions
This project pairs community health workers with civil legal aid to support children and families in Chicago neighborhoods with high violence exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11289450 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This effort connects families with community health workers who link them to social, health, and school services while offering civil legal aid for issues like housing, benefits, and safety. The team will work directly in South and West Side Chicago neighborhoods where children face high rates of community violence. Families and children will receive outreach, case management, and coordinated supports, and the project will track changes in school engagement, behavior, and mental health over time. The goal is to reduce youths' exposure to violence and improve their overall well-being through combined health and legal supports.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Families with children or adolescents living in high-violence neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West Sides are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who live outside the targeted Chicago neighborhoods or adults without children are unlikely to be helped by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lower children's exposure to community violence and improve mental health, school engagement, and family stability.
How similar studies have performed: Community health worker programs and medical-legal partnerships have helped families with health, housing, and legal needs before, but combining them specifically for youth violence prevention is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Volerman, Anna — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Volerman, Anna
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.