The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence Marks National Public Health Week
Washington, DC — April 6-12, 2020 marks National Public Health Week — an initiative of the American Public Health Association (APHA). This week provides a crucial opportunity to discuss a number of public health crises, including gun violence in all its forms.
Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence Senior Director of Public Health and Policy Adelyn Allchin issued the following statement:
“In these times of uncertainty, a public health approach is needed in all aspects of our lives. The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence is committed to applying the public health approach to our nation’s gun violence epidemic and stopping gun violence in all its forms — from homicide to suicide to community gun violence that often goes unnoticed by the media.
“In 2018, nearly 40,000 Americans died by gun violence; more than 24,000 of these individuals died by firearm suicide. We know we can prevent these deaths with evidence-based gun laws and interventions. From enacting extreme risk laws to disarming domestic abusers to engaging impacted communities to applying a multilevel approach to prevent firearm suicide, we are following the evidence and pursuing effective solutions to gun violence.
“We are proud to participate in National Public Health Week as we call for a public health approach to prevent gun violence. Especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health problems in front of us can feel overwhelming, but we must not forget about the scourge of gun violence — and the solutions we have to stop it.”
