Please, No More Shooting Victims in My OR — Defunding community violence intervention programs will have deadly consequences - by Brian H. Williams, MDMay 10, 2025 • 4 min read
Read entire piece by clicking below the image.
Read entire piece here: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/115515
This open letter urges leaders to restore federal funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs in the healthcare space which were recently cut by the Trump Administration. CVI saves lives through proven, community-led strategies. Without funding, critical services are at risk.
You can individually sign and are not required to sign on the behalf of any organization.
Sign on to show your support and join the call to restore CVI funding in the healthcare space.
At Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE), we believe in the dignity, safety, and humanity of every individual—especially those returning to our communities after incarceration or hospitalization. We write today to express our deep concern over recent actions by the federal government that roll back critical efforts in firearm injury prevention and in diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI).
Policies that silence efforts to address the root causes of firearm injury and limit DEI initiatives do not make our communities safer—they make them more vulnerable. These actions ignore the lived realities of the communities we serve, where structural inequities, systemic racism, and concentrated violence are not abstract concepts but daily challenges.
SAFE was founded on the belief that safe transitions begin with inclusive systems—ones that recognize and respond to the unique needs of every person. This includes building health systems and reentry pathways grounded in equity, trauma-informed care, and community-based solutions. It includes investing in programs that prevent firearm injury and violence, not defunding or denying them.
We remain steadfast in our mission: to disrupt cycles of violence and incarceration by centering healing, restoring opportunity, and advancing justice. We call on our partners—healthcare systems, policymakers, advocates, and neighbors—to stand with us in upholding the values of equity and safety for all.
Now is not the time to retreat from hard truths. It is time to double down on what works: compassion, accountability, and a commitment to justice.
In Solidarity,
Read entire Opinion piece by SAFE Board Member Dr. Brian H. Williams here: https://apple.news/AA2YH8ZlETV-FMKKXy3EQYw
Last week’s mass shooting at Dallas ISD’s Wilmer-Hutchins High School reminds us of the constant threat of gun violence Texas children and teens endure.
This incident, thankfully without reported fatalities, happened against a grim reality. Since 2015, our state has been the site of three of the five deadliest mass shootings in the United States: Sutherland Springs, El Paso and Uvalde. While we await further details about the Wilmer-Hutchins High School shooting, the lethal combination of youth with easy access to firearms demands immediate attention.
April 2025 SAFE Newsletter
Table of Contents:
SAFE’s Mission & Goals
SAFE’s Education on Policy Solutions Series: Secure Storage in 6-parts
Workshops on Firearm Injury Prevention Curriculum
Welcome Dr. Stephen Hargarten and Dr. Jasman Kaur
Register for Fall StandSAFE with Dr. Brian H. Williams
Get a SAFE Scrub Top
“Clinicians and Firearms” Course Distribution Packet
Join us September 9 at 8 PM Central Time (5 PM Pacific).
One of SAFE’s two annual events that are open to all clinicians and trainees. Brian H. Williams, MD, FACS, is a member of SAFE’s National Board of Directors, and will share the critical shift from federal to state policies in firearm injury prevention work.
Dr. Williams is a trauma surgeon, a USAF veteran, former congressional health policy advisor, and nationally recognized expert in gun violence prevention and healthcare disparities; writer and bestselling author of "The Bodies Keep Coming"
Registration is Required: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/RIh7GItTSheZRrpp4MyNiQ
Session 3: April 21 at Noon Central Time, 2025 will feature Dr. Brian H. Williams from SAFE's Board of Directors, Sean Holihan from Giffords, and Nick Matuszewski from Wisconsin Anti Violence Effort. The session will be co-hosted by SAFE's chapter leaders at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
1. Coaching on tone, Power of storytelling and anecdotes, perseverance.
2. The importance of relationship building with legislative aides
3. How Wisconsin's Day of Action at the State Capitol will work and how to host something similar in your state.
March 25, 2025 | Kellie Walker, Cedric Dark, Sandra McKay
Center for Health Policy | Firearm Injury Prevention and Safety | Policy Report
Gun violence continues to rise across the United States. With widespread access to the internet and a 24-hour cable news cycle, the American public receives constant reminders of this critical problem. In recent years, the increase in firearm-related morbidity and mortality among pediatric and adolescent populations has become particularly evident, surpassing motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death.[1] This milestone was reached in 2017 for individuals aged 0–24.[2] By 2021, total firearm-related deaths in children had reached 4,752, with pediatric suicides involving firearms at a record high.[3]
While some have speculated that the increasing levels of gun-related deaths are due to rising gun ownership, in actuality, household gun ownership declined by 28% between 1973 to 2021.[4] However, household gun ownership has started to trend upward again. As of April 2021, approximately 30 million children lived in households with firearms, seven million more than in 2015.[5]
Read more here: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/policies-prevent-gun-violence-schools
Dr. Sandy McKay has co-authored a paper with Amanda Koong, Mike Henson-Garcia, Lauren Malthaner, Katelyn Jetelina, Belinda Hernandez titled: Establishing Proof-of-Concept for the Feasibility and Implementation of a Point-of-Sale Firearm Safety Counseling Program: A Qualitative Case Study
Safe firearm storage is critical for injury prevention, yet there is limited evidence surrounding effective interventions to promote storage behaviors among owners. One potential avenue for intervention is at the point-of-sale, a concept well-proven in the nutrition promotion and tobacco cessation space. This study explored firearm retailer attitudes toward a firearm storage intervention delivered at the point of sale. Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with firearm retailers from a suburban gun shop in Fort Bend, USA. To read more, read on! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40126495/
Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic is working to help prepare medical students and healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable and effective advocates for evidence-based secure firearm storage and child access prevention policies.
Attendees will be able to think critically and independently about the secure storage law in their state, form their own opinions, and be able to articulate: Should your state law be changed? If so, why? And if so, how?
In the session on March 28 at Noon Central Time, hosted by the SAFE chapter student leaders at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, you will hear evidence that secure firearm storage laws save lives through a public health lens.
Dr. Susie MacLean, a retired physician on SAFE’s National Board of Directors with extensive experience as a secure firearm storage policy advocate in her home state of California, will be presenting. Joining her are two leading firearm injury prevention professionals from Giffords; Alex Nguyen (Senior Research Manager) and Erin Earp, (State and Federal Policy Attorney).
This is state-by-state work. All are welcome, regardless of what state you are from or currently live in.
March 11th Spring StandSAFE - with Dr. Cedric Dark. Dr. Dark is interviewed by Meagan Mitchell and Ariana Ali, both second year medical students, who did an excellent job.
James Bigham, MD, MPH is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Dr. Bigham trains health professionals on cultural awareness when engaging patients in discussions on firearm secure storage and firearm injury prevention. He co-founded a novel hands-on firearm injury prevention training called Lock, Stock, and Barrel, which works to bridge the divide between clinicians and gun shop owners. During these sessions, participants have an opportunity to learn in a judgment-free space as they enhance proficiency with counseling patients on firearm injury prevention.
Dr. Bigham serves as the Vice Chair of the national board of directors for SAFE.
If you are in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, or have medical students or physicians in your networks who are in one of those states, please read on!
Our hope is that you would be willing to share this information with those wanting to join forces to create comprehensive and culturally humble curriculum that equips learners as they provide medical care in a culture that leads the world on rates of firearm ownership.
This in-person workshop is for medical students, faculty, and curriculum leaders from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, and takes place in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday, March 14 at 5 PM through Saturday, March 15, ending at 3 PM at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Click to see who is leading this workshop, what is on the agenda, and accommodation details.
By working together, we can develop an efficacious and culturally responsive curriculum that will equip future physicians and other healthcare providers to address the multifaceted but addressable issue of firearm injury and death.
Thank you for helping us spread the word about this important firearm injury prevention curriculum workshop, the first of several over the next three years at SAFE.
Workshop attendees will hear from individuals in firearm culture (veterans, police, hunters, and gun shop owners) and will actively engage with medical students and firearm violence survivors to understand perspectives and perceived educational needs in FIP education.
We hope you enjoy this blost post By James Bigham, M.D., M.P.H., FAAFP and Sanjay Batish M.D., FAAFP
Feb. 5, 2025
A national patient survey found most patients, including gun owners, believe that clinician-initiated discussions about firearms can be appropriate, but many physicians have not been trained how to counsel patients about firearm injury prevention.
Here’s a case example that demonstrates the benefits of a family physician counseling patients and families on firearm harm reduction respectfully and effectively: To read the entire post, click here: https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/aafp-voices/storage-conversations.html
To read the blog post: https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/aafp-voices/storage-conversations.html
We hope you enjoy and are inspired by our November Newsletter
Gun Violence is an epidemic. December is a month where many people donate to non-profits. Please add SAFE to your list. If you donate $150 or more, please include your scrub size (XS - XXL) in the "additional notes" section and we will mail you a SAFE scrub as a token of our appreciation.
Your donation to support SAFE will allow as to:
* Make firearm injury prevention education a priority at every United States medical school.
* Be the leading source of medical education materials on effective ways to teach firearm injury prevention strategies to medical students.
* Provide current and future healthcare clinicians the skills necessary to engage patients, communities, local, and national legislators on public health driven solutions for firearm injury prevention.
* Develop a robust research wing of SAFE to establish evidence-based best practices for medical student firearm prevention education.
A Monthly Donation of $83.34 for 12 months = $1,000 for the year.
Suggested donation for medical students is $5/month. Thank you!
All future healthcare workers must have the education, research and communication tools they need to keep their patients safe from gun violence.
Brian H. Williams, MD, FACS, is a Trauma surgeon, USAF veteran, former congressional health policy advisor, and nationally recognized expert in gun violence prevention and healthcare disparities; writer and bestselling author of "The Bodies Keep Coming". We are thrilled to have him join our National Board of Directors.
DATE: Tuesday, March 11, 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
Description: Our esteemed guest will be Dr. Cedric Dark, who will be talking about his recent book "Under the Gun - An ER Doctor's Cure for America's Gun Epidemic". Dr. Dark is a graduate of Morehouse College, earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, and holds a master’s degree from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He completed his residency training at George Washington University where he served as Chief Resident. Currently, Dr. Dark is an Assistant Professor in the Henry J. N. Taub Department of Emergency Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
While registering for the free event IS required, reading the book in advance is not. However, we hope you pick up a copy and add it to your reading list before March 11. It is an excellent book that you can purchase directly from the publisher.
All are welcome. If you cannot attend on March 11, register anyway so you will be able to watch and listen after the event at your convenience.
We hope you enjoy and are inspired by our October Newsletter
