2003

* Heather McCabe is hired full-time as the Partnership’s Executive Director.

* The Partnership now receives data from all Marion County Hospital Emergency Departments along with law enforcement and coroner data.

* The Partnership begins to contact additional counties in the state in an effort to expand the data surveillance system outside Marion County to ensure that data represents the state’s population.

* The Partnership releases it’s first full report of the data surveillance system which represents the information obtained from law enforcement, coroner, and hospital emergency department data for every gunshot injury and death occurring in 2002 in Marion County. This report serves as the most comprehensive report of firearm injuries and deaths in the state because of the analysis of multiple data sources for each case.

* A press conference is held in conjunction with the release of the data report, and media coverage is excellent, with a focus on the financial cost of gun injuries.

* Indiana HB 1849 becomes effective and states that. “a person convicted of a domestic violence crime may not possess a firearm even after the person’s right to vote or right to serve on a jury has been restored. The right to possess a firearm is restored after the expiration of a five-year period or if the underlying domestic violence conviction is reversed on appeal or on post-conviction review.”

* After follow-up with the Indianapolis Star and as a result of the media campaign in late 2002, the Star changes its classified ads policy and will no longer advertise private seller’s guns in the Classified Ads.

* Partnership staff work with the statewide suicide prevention coalition to finalize the state’s suicide prevention plan, which will serve as a blueprint for regional coalitions around the state and ensure that statewide activities are coordinated and in accordance with national recommendations.

* The Partnership hosts it’s fourth annual meeting sponsored by Clarian Health, entitled, “Suicide Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Diverse Populations.” Keynote speakers include Barbara Rubel from the Griefwork Center in New Jersey, and Donna Barnes from the National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide. Attendance of 230 people doubles attendance of previous annual meetings.