Muskegon County, Michigan, has been awarded a $318,812 grant from the Michigan State Police to expand the SafERteens program into local schools, a proactive initiative aimed at preventing youth gun violence. The funds will allow Trinity Health Muskegon to hire three community health workers who will engage with at-risk students using a targeted screening process designed to identify youth who may be involved with or at risk for gun violence.
The extension of the program follows concerning statistics showing a 46 percent increase in the firearm death rate among children and adolescents in the U.S. from 2019 to 2022. This collaborative effort, which began in Flint, aims not just to provide immediate support but also to foster long-term educational and personal goal-setting for students, highlighting the community’s commitment to addressing youth violence as a significant public health issue.
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