1999

* Marilyn Bull, MD at Riley Hospital for Children, IU School of Medicine, receives a three-year grant from the Joyce Foundation to establish the Partnership to become effective in October.

* Patricia Lau is hired as the Partnership’s Administrative Director.

Need for the Program:
Gun-related suicides, homicides, and unintentional injuries are critical public health problems in Indiana. Indiana has a higher rate of death from guns than the nation as a whole, and the highest rate among Midwest states.

Goals of the Program:

1) develop an Advisory Board with representation from various domains such as medicine, law enforcement, the justice system, education, business, social services, child advocacy, and community-based organizations including the faith-communities;

2) link and/or develop local and statewide effort to collect, monitor, and analyze data from law enforcement agencies, county coroners, and hospital emergency rooms in an effort to identify trends for prevention of injuries and death;

3) examine and evaluate survey data that enhances public awareness, prioritizes education and training efforts, and highlights prevention measures that show public support;

4) share information that supports local and state policy directed towards firearm violence prevention efforts through education and training, research and evaluation, community relations, and disseminate findings from surveys and firearm-related data surveillance;

5) identify and develop resources that support families and communities impacted by firearm violence; creating opportunities for those directly affected by firearm violence to become involved in activities that influence prevention initiatives.