Laura Blodgett Senior Deputy Director, Communications Administration | Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Website
Laura Blodgett Senior Deputy Director, Communications Administration | Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Website
As part of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is emphasizing firearm injury prevention resources to enhance family safety. Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the United States, including those in Michigan aged 1 to 19.
"Firearm injuries are preventable, and everyone has a role to play in preventing these tragedies," stated Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "Gun violence is a public health crisis that affects the well-being and safety of all Michigan residents, which is why Michigan is taking a strong public health approach to addressing this issue."
The MDHHS Firearm Injury Prevention webpage offers information on public health and safety strategies for tackling gun violence. This includes details on firearm storage requirements, penalties, and a fact sheet on firearm safety and harm prevention.
To raise awareness about Michigan's safe storage law, MDHHS has created a flyer and public service announcement available on their website.
In collaboration with the Michigan State Police, MDHHS provides free gun locks at county offices and select local health departments. These cable-style gun locks aim to protect children from unsecured firearms. They are available while supplies last and can also be accessed through Project ChildSafe police partners across the state.
The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force consists of various community partners such as state department directors, medical experts, law enforcement professionals, tribal representatives, academic researchers, among others. The task force aims to identify root causes of gun violence by compiling data, maximizing resources, gathering diverse perspectives from community partners, and recommending policies aimed at reducing firearm-related deaths and injuries.
Their recommendations cover areas like firearms-related suicide prevention, community violence reduction, school safety enhancement measures, intimate partner violence intervention strategies as well as implementing existing legislation effectively. The task force continues refining these recommendations while developing an implementation roadmap along with exploring collaboration opportunities for funding.
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