Firearm-related injury and death is a preventable public health crisis. It has a disparate impact on vulnerable communities, and beyond its immediate destruction of life, this violence has long-lasting effects—permanent physical and psychological stressors—that lead to inequitable health outcomes.

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all is a priority for our communities, and NACCHO supports a comprehensive public health approach to address gun violence, including implementing expanded background checks, banning assault rifles, and supporting early intervention programs for families and schools. Local health departments play an important role in preventing intentional and unintentional firearm-related injury and death, and NACCHO is committed to providing resources, training, and guidance to local health departments to support their response to this ongoing public health crisis.

Despite the overwhelming nature of the problems, NACCHO believes there is a solution we can achieve together—a better future for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

NACCHO's Injury & Violence Prevention (IVP) program has created a compilation of existing resources to help local health departments prevent various types of fatal and non-fatal firearm injuries, including interpersonal violence, community violence, and suicide.