Our Approach

We see firearm injuries and deaths as public health priorities that demand compassionate and practical solutions grounded in evidence and lived experience. We use a prevention framework in our approach to better align our programs with the needs of the patients and communities we serve.  

• Our primary prevention programs have focused on safe firearm counselling and firearm lock distribution
• Our secondary prevention programs have focused on risk mitigation among patient identified at risk of firearm harm (e.g. suicide, interpersonal violence)
• Our tertiary prevention programs have focused on providing supportive treatment to people who have experienced bullet-related injuries.  

Figure adapted from Richards et al 2024 and experts at Cincinnati Children's. 

Click here to download the full size image as a PDF

We partner closely with patients, firearm owners, clinicians, researchers, and community-based organizations to co-design interventions that are respectful, nonjudgmental, and feasible in real-world care settings. We are committed to closing the gap between research and practice so that what we learn from data, stories, and lived experience rapidly translates into better care resulting in fewer injuries and deaths. Our projects emphasize equity, implementation science, and continuous quality improvement: we measure what works, for whom, and under what conditions. We are committed to continuing to refine our approaches with our partners.