From 2018-2020, with support from The Langeloth Foundation, Prevention Institute (PI) partnered with local communities and national networks to amplify support for a public health approach to preventing violence. (Starting in 2021, our focus is on advancing community safety through racial justice and health equity.)
PI serves as a strong, collaborative voice in the landscape of violence prevention. We promote a comprehensive approach to preventing violence that includes co-leadership from government and community, a commitment to racial equity, an understanding of community trauma and resilience, and an upstream prevention agenda that focuses on root causes. We are dedicated to working with our partners to advance the effectiveness and sustainability of the violence prevention field where we see the greatest potential for traction. Objectives and activities include:
PROMOTE INNOVATION AND STRENGTHEN PRACTICE through facilitating peer learning and providing responsive technical assistance in cities:
- We are facilitating peer learning forums on racial equity with participants from health departments in 20 cities. From the learnings we will produce and disseminate resources.
- We facilitated peer learning forums on multigenerational community leadership and organizing. This year we will continue to advocate for community leadership in public health efforts.
- We will continue to provide responsive technical assistance and education on a wide range of topics to public health leaders, policymakers, journalists, and others.
CATALYZE ACTION AND BUILD MOMENTUM through producing and disseminating compelling stories in multiple mediums that elevate successes, counter skepticism, and encourage adoption:
- Our recommendations to prevent gun violence, podcast about the recommendations, podcast on community organizing to prevent violence, 2-minute video on the East San Jose PEACE Partnership, and other materials have been downloaded and listened to several thousand times.
- With Cities United, we published and are disseminating a 2-page document of talking points for people who want to make the case for a public health approach to preventing violence.
- We will continue to produce and disseminate media on related topics.
FOSTER AND AMPLIFY A UNIFIED NATIONAL VOICE through aligning and collaborating with national networks and authoring joint statements and other documents:
- As co-lead for the CDC Division of Violence Prevention Action Council’s Leadership Team, we are convening government affairs staff and shaping the policy and strategic communications efforts of close to 40 national organizations working to prevent violence affecting young people.
- We participate in national coalitions such as CDC Division of Violence Prevention Policy Council, the American Academy of Pediatrics gun injury prevention initiative, Safe States, and others.
- This year, we will continue to collaborate with the American Public Health Association, especially as APHA’s annual conference (which reaches over 10,000 people) will be focused on violence prevention.
- We will continue to collaborate with Cities United and other national partners to co-publish op-eds and engage mayors and other policy leaders.