ABSTRACT:
Introduction. In 2023, homicide was the leading cause of death for young Black Americans ages 10-24, and the second leading cause of death for young Hispanic young adults ages 15-24.1 Over 75% of homicides result from firearms,2 and nonfatal firearm injuries occur at over twice the rate of fatal injuries.3 Healing from firearm injury is complex and requires a unique set of resources that is multidisciplinary in nature and includes mental health care to address the social drivers of health that resulted in injury both for healing and for prevention of future injury.4–6 The Bullet Related Injury Clinic has developed a community-based model for post-discharge care for survivors of firearm injury to address complex needs for healing.7,8 Methods. Five clinics from across the United States convened in February 2025 to discuss best practices, critical challenges, and collaborative initiatives to fortify this model of care. The Culture of Care Collaborative was formed during the convening and conducted a rapid review of the literature to further inform this model of care. Results. Critical components of post-discharge care include process and outcome measures related to physical and psychosocial healing, measured through survivor self-report, decreased emergency room utilization at 30 days post-hospital discharge, cost savings of the model of care, access to primary care physicians, and connection of survivors to social services resources. Conclusion. The Culture of Care Collaborative provides guidance for a community-based model of care for survivors of firearm injury. Wraparound care addresses immediate needs for healing as well as prevention of re-injury and future injury through tailored services to address the social drivers of health for each survivor. This model of care can increase biopsychosocial healing for survivors of violence, reduce inequitable health outcomes, and can be utilized by communities seeking healing from firearms and other violence.