Gun Violence

INTRODUCTION

Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Board of Health passed a Resolution declaring gun violence as a public health problem. The public health approach to gun violence prevention includes defining/monitoring the problem, identifying risk/protective factors, development/testing of prevention strategies, and assure widespread adoption.

LOCAL INITIATIVES

	Violence Intervention & Prevention Partners (VIP2): A hospital-linked violence intervention program expanding services to gun-injured persons released directly into the community following emergency care. Supported by local health data and the expert opinion of the Violence Community Roundtable.
	Be SMART: A partnership with Children's of Alabama to promote responsible firearm ownership by raising awareness about the importance of secure storage, using Be SMART's firearm safety framework.
	Birmingham Crime Commission: A collaborative body of community leaders, public safety professionals, and policy experts tasked with designing and recommending actionable strategies, to reduce violent crime, improve public safety, and strengthen trust between the community and law enforcement in the City of Birmingham.
	Birmingham and Jefferson County Justice and Governance Partnership: A collaboration among government and community stakeholders, supported the Aspen Institute, to develop data-driven, community-informed social justice policies and practices.

For more information, please contact us at (205) 930-1578.