CDPHE and CSPH to launch the state’s first gun violence prevention resource bank
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has partnered with the Injury and Violence Prevention Center in the Colorado School of Public Health to publish the state’s first-ever resource bank regarding gun violence in Colorado.
The Colorado Gun Violence Prevention Resource Bank serves as a research and data hub that is designed for use by diverse audiences ranging from researchers to the general public. It signifies a pivotal step in Colorado’s efforts to address firearm injury and violence. The resource bank contains a repository of information, including an interactive dashboard with data related to firearm injury and death in the state. Data and resource topics include firearm harm prevention approaches, Colorado gun laws, safe storage best practices, and information about requesting an extreme risk protection order.
“The first step to solving an issue using a public health approach is to thoroughly understand the scope of the problem through data,” said Jonathan McMillan, director of CDPHE’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “This resource bank will prove invaluable to anyone interested in being part of the solution and working to prevent firearm-related harms within their own community.”
According to the Colorado Vital Statistics Program, between 2016 – 2021, an average of 911 people in Colorado died each year due to guns. In 2021, Colorado ranked 18th in the United States for firearm-related deaths, emphasizing the importance of this work. The resource bank, including the data dashboard, will continue to expand to include additional information and resources and incorporate additional data sources, ensuring comprehensive coverage of firearm-related insights.
“The Injury and Violence Prevention Center is pleased to support the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the continual advancement of the resource bank,” says Ashley Brooks-Russell, PhD, director of the Injury and Violence Prevention Center – a collaborative initiative of the Colorado School of Public Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. “As an organization that works to reduce firearm injury and its outcomes through high-quality research, education, and practice, we are committed to ensuring that the resource bank’s growth is aligned with community needs.”
For more information, visit cdphe.colorado.gov/gun-violence-prevention-resource-bank.
Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
