Code of the District of Columbia

§ 23–1904c. Hospital-based violence intervention policy and training pilot.

(a) The Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants shall, in Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, issue grants for a pilot program ("pilot program") to develop evidence-based policies, protocols, and training for hospital staff, medical providers, and law enforcement to guide their interactions when operating as part of a hospital-based violence intervention program.

(b) The pilot program shall be conducted by a District-based entity with experience and expertise in academic research, police practices, civil and constitutional rights and laws, developing and implementing police and community safety policies and training, and training or educating Metropolitan Police Department officers.

(c) The pilot program shall include:

(1) Designing and testing outcome measures for patients, hospital staff, medical providers, and law enforcement in order to improve patient health, increase the effectiveness of violence intervention programs, and improve efficiency and coordination for hospital staff, medical providers, community-based organizations, and law enforcement;

(2) Soliciting input from law enforcement agencies, hospital staff, medical providers, and hospital-based violence intervention programs;

(3) Developing and delivering policies and training for hospital staff, medical providers, and law enforcement;

(4) Evaluating and revising the impact of policies, protocols, and training on outcomes; and

(5) Issuing a report by September 30, 2024, that shall be presented at a public meeting of the Task Force on Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs.

(d) Any entity conducting the pilot program shall be considered a hospital-based violence intervention program for the purposes of determining whether confidential communications can be disclosed as described in § 14-313(b)(1).