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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE �CURE VIOLENCE HEALTH MODEL� IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT A REPORT

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WHEREAS, �Cure Violence� is a community organization dedicated to the goal of reducing violence and was founded in 2000 by Gary Slutkin, M.D., Professor of Epidemiology and International Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health; and
WHEREAS, �Cure Violence� has developed the �Cure Violence Health Model,� which is an interdisciplinary public health strategy that combines the science of violent behavior, elements of infectious disease control and community organizing to combat street violence on the frontlines; and
WHEREAS, the �Cure Violence Health Model� has four core activities that work in conjunction to disrupt the transmission of violence: detection and interruption of potentially lethal events, intervention with highest-risk persons�or those thought most likely to be involved in potential events in the near future�changing group and community behavior and norms, as well as, data and monitoring; and
WHEREAS, �Cure Violence� deploys culturally sensitive individuals who live in the community and can serve as credible messengers to high-risk individuals and groups, commonly referred to as �Violence Interrupters� and �Outreach Workers,� into targeted neighborhoods to defuse conflicts before they turn deadly and to stem retaliatory shootings; and
WHEREAS, �Cure Violence� also utilizes grassroots community mobilization and public awareness campaigns to empower communities to speak up when violence takes place in their own neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, in addition to street intervention, �Cure Violence� partners with elected officials, local activists, faith-based leaders and law enforcement in a cooperative effort to effect long-term change and create safer communities; and
WHEREAS, other essential elements of the �Cure Violence Health Model� include adaptations of health strategies utilized to reduce transmission of deadly diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cholera and tuberculosis; and
WHEREAS, the �Cure Violence Health Model� has been successfully adopted in various domestic jurisdictions, including over 30 sites across nine cities in New York State, Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Oakland, San Antonio, and internationally in eight countries across five continents, including most recently in Syria; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of this Board to consider the implementation of the �Cure Violence Health Model� to improve public safety in Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, in light of the foregoing, this Board desires to have the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee study the feasibility of implementing the �Cure Violence Health Model� in Miami-Dade County, including but not limited to issues relating to: (1) determination of the most appropriate geographical areas of concentration, (2) engagement of community leaders, (3) identification of community partners, including law enforcement and hospital response partners, (4) technical assistance, and (5) potential fiscal impact of implementation,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Directs the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee to study the feasibility of the implementation of the �Cure Violence Health Model� in Miami-Dade County, including but not limited to issues relating to: (1) determination of the most appropriate geographical areas of concentration, (2) engagement of community leaders, (3) identification of community partners, including law enforcement and hospital response partners, (4) technical assistance, and (5) potential fiscal impact of implementation.
Section 2. Directs the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee to prepare and submit a report detailing the findings, results and recommendations of the feasibility study to this Board within 90 days of the effective date of this resolution and place the completed report on an agenda of the Board pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65.