The Department of Justice gives UAMS $1.9 million to support emergency response in Little Rock schools

Little Rock, Arkansas – Grant funds have been awarded to the University of Arkansas for Medical Science to support Little Rock educators and students in times of need.

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded a $1.9 million, three-year grant to the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation to develop a community-based emergency response program for Little Rock Schools.

“We look forward to improving safety infrastructure for our partner schools and are grateful to have received these funds from the Department of Justice,” stated Dr. Joseph Sanford, director of the institution.

To manage and address such threats early, the Little Rock Violence Intervention and Safety Innovative Outreach Network (LR VISION) will use cutting-edge safety technology, such as behavioral threat assessments.

It will offer complete site inspections to find and fix safety issues with school infrastructures, anonymous reporting mechanisms that are secure and private, and digital mapping of the campus to improve emergency responses.

“This project will introduce proactive measures and educational programs to make the Little Rock School District safer and better equipped, as school districts face increasing safety concerns,” said Julie Trammell Sheppard, grant manager and project manager for LR VISION.

Over 20,000 children are served by the 42 school campuses that make up the Little Rock School District.

According to Sheppard, the UAMS Arkansas Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools will offer trauma-informed training, while LR VISION will develop a digital learning platform to offer virtual instruction and training for school employees and educators.

LR VISION is supported by the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock Police and Fire departments, and Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services.