Vermont public health association

Adopted January 2014

The Vermont Public Health Association (VtPHA) recognizes that gun-related death and disability has a profound and lasting deleterious effect on the physical and emotional health of individuals, families, and communities. VtPHA believes in a public health approach (including education, public policies, and regulation) that effectively reduces the risk of individual and community exposure to gun-related violence.

VtPHA supports:

• Comprehensive policies and legislation designed to increase safety in the process of gun ownership, such as universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers, prohibiting violent felons from possessing firearms, and requiring gun owner liability for negligent storage of firearms.
• Processes and policies that reduce the risk of children accessing and using firearms.
• Re-legislating a national assault weapons ban for civilian use.
• Increased policy and financial support for prevention of domestic and sexual violence; provide support for victims of domestic violence, and prevent access to firearms by those at risk of taking violent action.
• Increased policy and financial support for programs that support suicide prevention for all ages.
• Programming to train health care professionals to routinely assess the presence of lethal means (including firearms) in the home and to provide education to patients and families about safety measures that reduce the risk of gun-related injury and death.
• Policies and increased financial support for mental health and substance abuse services for individuals of all ages.
• Increased policy and financial support for prevention and educational programs that are shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of violence within schools and communities.
• Nationally, to increase funding for research and surveillance into the causes and methods of preventing gun-related violence.