Health and Well-being

Once the population is engaged it is then time for the healing process to begin.

This pillar encompasses community based interventions that focus on health and well-being such as Micro-Community Interventions, Community Health Centers, and Trauma Response Teams.

Meaningful relationships built with Community Support can now be networks that introduce and positively reinforce health interventions. In TICD, Health and Well-being is therefore the beginning of the healing process.

Free Health Center

The Free Health Center as a Volunteer In Medicine Clinic offers free primary, behavioral and dental care to people who are under and un-insured through clinicians who volunteer their time to see the patients at no cost.

Since the inception of the Free Health Center five years ago, the patient base has steadily increased 30% each year of operation. The volunteer base has also increased throughout the five years of operation to meet the increased patient need.

In order to maintain the highest quality possible of care at the clinic, a Quality Improvement Committee is in place for the clinic. This committee is responsible for peer review, quality review, policy review, root analysis of incidents in addition to recruiting volunteer clinicians.

Micro-Community Interventions

Micro-Community Interventions are understood as a framework within which a defined local population participates in a community-driven process of revitalization, resulting in a Micro-Community with an established culture of health and wellbeing.

Trauma Response Team

The Trauma Response Team cares for the acute needs of family and friends of homicide victims of gun violence across all of Allegheny County. The presence of the team after an incident provides an outlet for those who knew the victims to heal and to reduce the chances of retaliation. The Trauma Response Team also works towards long-term interventions for the community members served through connection to the Health Center and Micro-Community Interventions as deemed appropriate based on the community.