Thank Congress for gun violence bill and ask for more action
July 20, 2022
Take 2 minutes today to thank Congress for passing important gun violence prevention legislation, while also urging them to continue taking further action.
Letter to Congress
Gun violence is a public health crisis. Pass legislation to promote gun safety
The inaction of Congress in the wake of school shootings, mass shootings, domestic violence, suicides by firearm, and hate crimes is devastating and has long-lasting impacts. APA Services joins other educational and public health organizations to call on Congress to pass gun safety legislation.
Our focus
- Reduce stigma of mental illness.
APA strongly discourages the use of inaccurate and harmful rhetoric that blames America’s gun violence problem solely on mental illness. The overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent. Based on the research, a history of violence is the single best predictor of who will commit future violence. - Gun violence prevention research
APA Services advocates for dedicated federal funding for gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to promote a science-based public health approach to addressing this critical societal issue. - Safe firearms storage
APA supports efforts to fund lethal means safety options including safe firearms storage. Safe storage is crucial to preventing unintentional injuries and self-harm. Lethal means safety training is necessary to educate firearms owners and health care providers. - Extreme Risk Protection Order Laws
APA urges support of state efforts to implement Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPOs) laws. These laws can prevent suicides and can provide communities with an opportunity to petition the courts to intervene, and temporarily remove a firearm if the person is a possible risk to themselves or others without legal repercussions. - Community and school-based gun violence prevention initiatives
APA encourages public investment in evidence based programs and policies that work with schools and community stakeholders to reduce access to firearms by youth and individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others. These initiatives provide crucial interventions to prevent tragedies and save lives.
Our efforts on this issue advance the following advocacy priorities:
- Criminal justice
- Violence and suicide prevention
Gun violence is a public health crisis in America, and guns are associated with far too many deaths in our country, including 50%-60% of suicides.
What you can do
Related issues
Contact us
Ben Vonachen, MA
Senior Director, Congressional and Federal Relations
Email APA Advocacy Office
Recent advocacy on gun violence prevention
Congress passes comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation
July 11, 2022
Legislation brings critical reforms to reduce firearms-related deaths and enhance community mental health services.
Expanding funding for gun violence prevention research
July 11, 2022
Following APA Services’ advocacy efforts, Congressional appropriators increased research funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to address gun violence prevention.
Supporting legislation to fund mental health services for communities impacted by gun violence
September 29, 2021
Legislation includes a new focus on addressing trauma related to exposure to community violence.
More on gun violence
APA again calls for gun reform in wake of Texas mass shooting
Schools must be safe havens, says APA president.
Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention, and Policy
This APA report reviews research-based evidence on the causes of gun violence, including homicide, suicide or school shooting. How do mental health and mental illness affect prediction of gun violence? What can be done at the individual and community level to prevent gun violence?
APA Resolution on Firearm Violence Research and Prevention
APA resolves to encourage the scientific study of firearm violence and its prevention, and to encourage psychologists to respond to the problem of firearm violence as scientists, practitioners and educators.
A thaw in the freeze on federal funding for gun violence and injury prevention research
This April 2021 APA Monitor feature article notes that the CDC and NIH have awarded grants for firearms research for the first time in more than 20 years.
How to talk to your patients about firearm safety
Making guns less accessible is a key step in suicide prevention.
APA endorses legislation to prevent suicide among children and young adults
Association endorsement quoted in key lawmaker’s press release introducing the bill.