Prevention Institute partnered with Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) members and staff to develop practical tools to improve community safety throughout large metropolitan areas. The project teams at Prevention Institute and BCHC thank Oxiris Barbot, Former New York City Health Commissioner, and Gretchen Musicant, Commissioner of Health, Minneapolis, and additional members of a small workgroup who met in 2020 who called for the development of a framework that uplifts the efficacy of public health strategies for community safety, reduces over-reliance on criminal legal strategies, and engages multi-sector partners to realize equity, justice, and safety in communities across the nation.
Community Safety Realized: Public Health Pathways to Preventing Violence (2021)
The Community Safety Realized report describes how the science and practice of public health and the values of equity and justice can shape community-driven, multisector approaches to safety. The dual purposes of the report are to expand collective understanding of community violence prevention policies, practices, and programs, and to invite collaboration among community-based organizations, government agencies, policymakers, and other multi-sector partners to promote equity, justice, and safety. The report describes a “pathway to violence,” that describes how structural racism and other forms of systemic inequity contribute to violence, as well as a “pathway to safety” that highlights a continuum of strategies and sample partners that can help cities work toward equity and safety. The report also describes the defining features of a public health approach, and the core elements for effectiveness and sustainability.
Webinar: June 8, 12-1 PM PST/2-3 CST/3-4 EST, Zoom and Facebook
Watch the webinar recording for public health departments and community and governmental partners, where the framework, Community Safety Realized: Public Health Pathways to Preventing Violence was introduced by the Big Cities Health Coalition and Prevention Institute. During the webinar, we featured transformational public health leaders in Minneapolis, MN and Kansas City, MO who have been implementing successful community-driven and multi-sector violence prevention initiatives, grounded in racial justice, as well as discussed the critical roles that community leaders, public health departments, and many other sectors play in realizing community safety and healing.”
* This work was made possible by a grant to Prevention Institute, with funding from Big City Health Coalition member dues and the de Beaumont Foundation. Opinions expressed in the report and project represent collaborative work between BCHC and Prevention Institute and do not necessarily reflect the view of any one member or funder.
Additional Resources to Support Community Safety
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Prevention Institute’s Building Bridges: The Strategic Imperative for Advancing Health Equity and Racial Justice explores how and why to bring together people working on health equity and racial justice and defines important principles and strategic opportunities for racial justice.
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Prevention Institute’s Safety Focus Area page highlights our many projects, resources, and tools.
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Prevention Institute’s Tailored Guidance to Cities and Counties page highlights examples of our consultation and coaching services for cities and states and how to request support.
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Prevention Institute’s Moving Upstream Podcast has many episodes where we look closely at violence prevention issues in the news to understand how we got here and to find a healthier, more equitable way forward.
For more information, contact Lisa Fujie Parks: Lisa@preventioninstitute.org.
*Our work to share and use the Community Safety Realized tool is supported by The Langeloth Foundation and The CARESTAR Foundation.