NCDHHS lays out strategies to reduce gun violence and misuse

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is releasing a report describing public health strategies to reduce firearm violence and misuse.

According to a release, with rates of firearm deaths and injuries increasing in North Carolina and nationally, the white paper provides a framework for how to address firearm violence and misuse as public health issues.

This requires using good data to identify trends, risk and protective factors and prioritize layered, evidence-informed and consensus-driven approaches that reduce firearm misuse, injuries and deaths.

“Too many communities and families are regularly feeling the pain of gun violence that should not and cannot become a normal part of day-to-day life,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Working together with law enforcement and public health officials to address gun violence from every angle from crime, to suicides, to accidents, particularly involving children, is the right thing to do to make real progress keeping our communities safe.”

According to the data, firearm deaths and injuries are a public health problem.

• 5 North Carolinians per day die from a firearm-related death, more than 1,700 in 2020.
• Overall, more than half of firearm-related deaths are suicides and more than 4 in 10 are homicides.
• Men account for 86% of all firearm deaths and non-fatal injuries.

Children and families are among  those most impacted.

• 116 North Carolina children died of a firearm related injury in 2021. Firearms are the leading cause of child injury death and are increasing.
• Child firearm injury hospitalizations have increased by 120% from 2016-2020 and child emergency department visits for firearm injury have increased
  by 68% from 2017-2021.
• Among youth, more than 50% of suicides and 80% of homicides in 2021 involved a firearm.
• The percent of youth involved with juvenile justice with a firearm charge has increased from 4% to 14%.
• 58% of intimate partner homicides involve a firearm.

Firearm deaths and injuries are a health equity issue.

• Black North Carolinians are almost twice as likely as white North Carolinians to be killed by a gun.
• Veterans’ suicide rates in North Carolina, were 250% higher than the general population from 2016-2020.
• For those ages 18 to 34, it was 610% higher than the general population. The use of firearms as a method of suicide is 73.8%, compared to 53.6% for non-veterans.

The report, which you can read here, follows a roundtable discussion last week by professionals from health care, hospitals, public safety and community and veterans’ groups, hosted by Governor Cooper, NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley and State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson. The discussion focused on the need to build on areas of broad agreement, strengthen promising efforts already underway and work more closely together across the wide variety of organizations that have a stake in this issue.

“A public health approach driven by data and informed by those most impacted will improve community safety and save lives in North Carolina,” Secretary Kinsley said. “We will build on the already successful programs across the state — layering those approaches to meet the needs of specific communities, reduce suicide and mitigate violence.”

In the 1970s, a public health approach used data and a layered prevention approach to reduce injuries and deaths from vehicle crashes. The tactics improved the safety of cars and better prepared drivers. The result over time was a 70% drop in deaths per mile driven. The same approach for firearms emphasizes safe storage, better protection for those at risk for violence and improvements to the mental health system to help people well in advance of crisis.

WWAY will have more on the report, coming up tonight at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.