Firearm violence remains a critical public health issue in the United States, disproportionately impacting youth and communities of color while imposing significant emotional and economic costs. Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs) have emerged as effective, multidisciplinary strategies with the goal of interrupting cycles of violence by providing trauma-informed care and community services initiated during hospitalization. To develop a strong HVIP, it is imperative to collaborate with local stakeholders, and the aim of this study was to create and evaluate the effectiveness of a novel approach to the creation of a community advisory board (CAB) for a local HVIP.

This study presents a novel approach to the creation of a CAB to inform an HVIP in Houston, Texas. The CAB included diverse stakeholders such as community leaders, youth advocates, healthcare professionals, law enforcement professionals, and people with firearm violence lived experiences. Using a modified Intervention Mapping (IM) framework and the Community and Stakeholder Engagement Studio (CSES) model, the CAB convened through a series of structured meetings to identify community priorities, define modifiable risk factors, and inform HVIP programming.

CAB engagement led to the identification and development of key HVIP program components. The collaborative process emphasized transparency and mutual respect, fostering trust and increasing the likelihood of program acceptance and sustainability. CAB feedback was instrumental in shaping both short- and long-term implementation strategies.

Integrating equitable, community-driven stakeholder engagement into HVIP development enhances cultural relevance and responsiveness. This approach not only strengthens program design but also builds community trust.