FRANKFORT, Ky. — State lawmakers got a better understanding of the work happening in the Commonwealth to combat violence.

On Monday, lawmakers heard from a number of organizations that work to do just that, including Louisville-based 2X Game Changers. The group, ran by Christopher 2X, helps kids and their families who are indirectly impacted by gun violence in the city.

“We feel that we have an obligation to come and talk for the kids that we’re aquatinted with,” 2X said.

Interim Joint Health Services Committee co-chair State Representative Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, explains why they wanted to hear from organizations like Game Changers.

“These are all proactive initiatives that we can scale up and if it requires funding we need to hear about it. If there are ways we can help, we need to hear about it, so that’s why I wanted to introduce all of our committee members to all of our potential partners,” Moser said.

2X was joined by two doctors from UofL Health to speak about their Future Healers program. It pairs kids and their families with medical students at UofL Health, and engages them in a curriculum focused on health and science.

“Our mission’s pretty clear. Build stronger bridges between the healthcare community and our youth most impacted by gun violence,” Dr. Keith Miller, a trauma surgeon at UofL Health, said. “We’re talking about four to 13-year-old children here. Chris talked about this a little bit, but 85 to 90% of those children have been impacted by violence in some way. Some have been shot.”

Moser says she is interested in seeing Game Changers expand into other parts of the state, including in northern Kentucky, which she represents.

State lawmakers also heard from The Ion Center for Violence Prevention, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky Behavioral Health, and CHI Saint Joseph Health.