The Way Forward is a comprehensive five-year community violence prevention plan that aims to reduce overall community violence in Mecklenburg County through two long-term goals. The plan was developed with wide representation from residents, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. The plan was visited during the Meck Design Community Health Improvement Planning event to determine best strategies for implementation to address community violence.

The plan ultimately aims to see a reduction in the rates (per 100,000 residents) of both homicides and gun-related assaults at the end of the
implementation period of this plan (2028) compared to the baseline year (2022).

The Way Forward serves all Mecklenburg County residents. The impacts of community violence influence the entire county. The outlined strategies recognize that Black and African American residents of Mecklenburg County are disproportionately impacted by community violence and center interventions and prevention initiatives relevant to this audience. The leading age groups of individuals involved in homicides— for both victims and suspects— were between the ages of 18-34. Combined, these groups made up over 50% of homicide victims and over 70% of known suspects in 2015-2020.

2023 Progress

The Office of Violence Prevention and ReCAST II partnered to launch and sustain The Way Forward (TWF) community violence plan implementation coalition; the coalition includes more than 50 diverse residents and organizational representatives serving as TWF advisors.

Click here to view the full  2023 SOTCH Report.

2024 Progress by TWF Area of Focus 

Community Engagement and Partnerships 

More than 400 collaborating partners, committed to the implementation of TWF five-year violence prevention plan. The OVP and ReCAST II continued, the Way Forward Advisory Group (TWF-AG). TWF-AG provides input on the implementation and evaluation of TWF five-year  strategic plan. In 2024, TWF-AG conducted five convenings including four Subcommittees organized by area of focus engaging six community Ambassadors, and 46 members.

Peacekeepers Academy: The Office of Violence Prevention provided technical assistance and training to community-based organizations implementing violence prevention initiatives through the Peacekeepers Academy (PA); two PA cohorts of 24 community based organizations completed 8 capacity strengthening, resiliency building sessions to support and scale their grassroots violence prevention initiatives were hosted in 2024. Each PA organization was awarded up to $15,000 to support programs and implement community violence initiatives aligned with TWF.

Support for Youth and Families

 100 Youth Advisory Council: In 2024, 100 YAC engaged youth in purposeful dialogue aiming to reduce youth violence in Mecklenburg County. Youth representation is centered in violence  prevention efforts, ensuring youth voices shape countywide strategies and policies.  100 YAC Hosted 46 workshops across 8 diverse locations, partnering with 9 organizations to reach a total reach of 514 youth. Participating youth provided 118 youth-centered violence prevention recommendations.

Handle with Care (HWC): The HWC program allows police to notify schools when they encounter a child at a traumatic scene, enabling schools and mental health professionals to provide trauma-sensitive support immediately. In partnership with Pat’s Place, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), Mecklenburg County Trauma and Justice Partnerships, and ReCAST II, the HWC program was launched in the CMPD Freedom Patrol Division, with 108 reports addressed during the 2023–2024 school year. CMPD officers submit reports to Pat’s Place staff. Pat’s Place manages HWC reports and contacts school personnel trained in trauma-informed approaches. CMS tracks the grades, attendance, and behavioral referrals of children included in reports, ensuring that all students meeting the criteria for additional services are successfully referred and connected to support. By 2025, the program is set to expand to all CMS schools and other jurisdictions within the county, including Huntersville, Davidson, and Cornelius. 

Safer and Healthier Neighborhoods 

Violence Interruption: Mecklenburg County partners Atrium, Novant, City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County Public Health, YAP, and the Urban League implemented and expanded community violence interruption and hospital-based violence intervention initiatives. The Alternatives to Violence (ATV) program was expanded to three sites across the county. Hospital-based violence intervention initiative were delivered at each local health system (Atrium, Novant).