Violence Intervention Program

The Life Outside of Violence (LOV) Program at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon was formed as part of a citywide collaborative effort to reduce preventable deaths in the St. Louis region caused by interpersonal violence. Its mission is to promote positive alternatives to violence to reduce retaliation, criminal involvement, re-injury and death among youth who are victims of violence.

In 2022, 15 youth enrolled in LOV and, in the five years since LOV launched, there have been zero deaths among youth involved in our program.

Through direct intervention, counseling and mentorship, the LOV Program helps these high-risk youth reduce their risk factors for violent behavior.

“Every child coming into LOV has had a different experience,” says Melik Coffey, MSW, LCSW, program coordinator for LOV at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon. “Therefore, their interventions and goals will be different. No matter what,” says Coffey, “we take a look at the whole person and their whole system of care…who is in their life? Most of these youth are disconnected from a stable support system, so that is often the place we start.”

Thanks to generous donor support, the LOV program at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon has grown to include a second staff member.

“I am uniquely positioned to be present and to plant that seed of possibility,” says Coffey. “For some, we may never know the impact of our work. But if I can give one person hope, then my job is worth it.”

Glennon Kid Jeremiah, just one of the many victims of violence to come through our doors each year