Oral

Violence poses a serious public health challenge, leading to death, injuries and ill health. Yet the traditional response often defaults to law enforcement and criminal justice, overshadowing the public health implications of violence. As cities grapple with violence, increasing evidence shows that city leaders nationwide are insisting that “we cannot arrest our way out of the problem”. This session explores violence as a public health issue, and how public health-based strategies can prevent violence and improve the overall quality of life. Overview of UNITY Assessment Findings highlights the importance of coordination and how public health has not recognized its role in preventing violence. Key finding reveals that ‘cities with effective communication, collaboration and coordination among city departments and entities had the lowest rates of violence’. Violence is a public health issue makes the case for public health taking the lead in efforts to prevent or reduce violence. Concepts include applying public health principles to prevention approaches, including strategies, policies, coordination, and advocacy. UNITY: Preventing Violence within the Urban Context presents a national initiative to support cities in preventing violence by developing strategies, tools, and capacity to address the complex underlying contributors. Highlights the UNITY RoadMap, a comprehensive framework, which delineates the WHO, WHAT, and HOW of preventing violence. Neighborhood-Level Interventions: City of San Diego highlights the City of San Diego response to gang violence through the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, a multi-sectoral collaboration among businessmen, social service directors, educators, law enforcement officials and other community leaders.

Session Objectives: 1. Make the case for violence as a public health issue. 2. Describe a comprehensive framework to prevent violence based on public health principles. 3. Highlight a multi-sectoral response to gang violence.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing