The Disabling Bullet Project
Project Purpose:
To develop, implement, and evaluate a peer-mentor program for young men
with violently-acquired spinal cord injuries at three rehabilitation hospitals.
Background:
During the last two decades, violence and the use of firearms have risen
dramatically in the United States. It is estimated that for every person
killed by firearms, three more are injured (Annest, Mercy, Gibson, &
Ryan, 1995; Graham & Weingarden, 1989). Moreover, the number of persons
who have sustained spinal cord injuries as a result of violence has grown.
Data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (1994) indicate
that during the 1973-78 time period, violence accounted for 13% of new
spinal cord cases. By 1994, this figure had increased to 30%, and ethnic
minorities accounted for 72% of this group. Despite representing a rapidly
growing population in rehabilitation hospitals across the country, the
needs of this group are not being adequately met by current service-delivery
systems (Groce, 1998).
Project Description:
The Disabling Bullet is a four-year model demonstration project that does
not address violence prevention. Rather, it addresses the need to reintegrate
into the community an
increasing population of individuals disabled as a result of violence.
The main goals of the Disabling Bullet Project are to:
1) Develop a training manual for peer-mentors to assist African- American and Latino men with violently-acquired spinal cord injuries through the rehabilitation process;
2) Implement the peer-mentor program in three rehabilitation
hospitals; and
3) Evaluate the effectiveness of this program.
As a part of this project, two videos have been
developed. "The Disabling Bullet" traces the lives of four African-American
men who reside in Chicago. These men share their life experiences both
before and after acquiring their disability through street violence. This
video is available in VHS and is fully captioned. This video was produced
by Patrick Devlieger, Ph.D. and Miriam Hertz, Ph.D.. ($15.00) The
second video, "Life After the Bullet", documents the development
of the project, with scenes from the first peer-mentor training session
and interviews with the first peer-mentors involved with the project at
Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago, IL ($20.00). For more information
about the videos, contact Fabricio Balcazar,
Principal Investigator.
Start/End Dates:
May 1, 1999 - April 30, 2003
Funded by:
Office
of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Department of Education - Federal
Project Staff:
Fabricio Balcazar, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
Chris Keys, Ph.D. (Co-Principal Investigator)
Patrick Devlieger, Ph.D. (Co-Principal Investigator)
Brigida Hernandez, Ph.D. (Research Consultant)
Erin Hayes, MA (Project Director)
Mark Engstrom, BA (Graduate Research Assistant)
Judy Holst, BA (Graduate Research Assistant)
Jhon Sanabria, BA (Graduate Research Assistant)
Participating Hospitals:
Schwab Rehabilitation
Hospital
National Rehabilitation Hospital
Oak Forest Rehabilitation Hospital
Project Activities:
Development of a peer-mentor training curriculum
Recruitment and training of peer-mentors
Implementation of the peer-mentor program
Development of an educational video
Research Activities:
Program evaluation involving interviews with mentors, mentees, and rehabilitation
hospital staff
Related Research Activities:
We are very pleased to announce that our collaborating site, Schwab Rehabilitation
Hospital and Care Network of Chicago, was awarded a Paralyzed
Veterans of
America Education and Training Foundation grant. This grant extends
the efforts of the Disabling Bullet to females, outpatients, and non-minority
individuals with
violently-acquired spinal cord injuries. This grant will also fund dissemination
efforts.
Starting May of 2001, Spreading the Word: An Extension of the Disabling
Bullet will operate for two years. For more information about this project,
please contact Kristin Balfanz-Vertiz, LSW, MSW, at balkr@sinai.org
or (773) 522-5869.
Service Activities:
Soon you'll be able to View pictures from recent outings and activities
Publications:
Link to project-based publications:
Responding to the Needs of the Underserved
Training Curriculum:
Trainer's
Manual (MS Word)
Project Newsletters:
Other Resources:
The National
Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama, Birmingham
The National Spinal Cord Injury Association is the oldest and largest civilian organization which is dedicated to help Americans who are coping with the results of spinal cord injury and disease.
The Social Security Administration online provides information on both SSI and SSDI benefits.
The Illinois Spinal Cord Injury Association is a non- profit organization providing information and resources for people paralyzed by spinal cord injuries.
The Illinois Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) is the state's main agency for providing services to persons with disabilities.
The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities lists programs and services in the city of Chicago.
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago is a center for service, advocacy, and social change for people with disabilities.
Read recent project contributions to the Alert, the newsletter of the Institute for Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois, Chicago
