CHOC is proud to be among more than 160 health systems and children’s hospitals – representing thousands of hospitals – coming together in an effort to reduce deaths related to guns by advocating for proper and safe firearms storage.
The objective of the campaign is simple: Break the taboo so that asking about unlocked guns becomes a routine part of securing the health and safety for our families. The campaign – which centers on multiple video, print, social, digital and outdoor messages — taps into protective instincts as parents, family members, friends and neighbors to demonstrate it is OK to ask about anything that might pose a danger to a child, including access to unlocked guns.
The campaign’s central message is straight-forward – and sobering: “One question can save a child’s life: Every day, 13 kids are killed by firearms. But there is a way you can protect your child. Ask your family and friends if there’s an unlocked gun in the house. It can save a life and it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
In 2019, guns surpassed automobile accidents as the leading cause of death for kids in the U.S. At CHOC, we’re committed to taking meaningful action to address this public health issue that claimed more than 45,000 lives in the U.S. last year. This includes educating the communities we serve on firearm safety and mobilizing the healthcare community nationwide to advocate for new approaches.
Large public service messages ran in the Sept. 29 and Oct. 2 editions of The New York Times.
You can learn more about the campaign here – and get tips and guidance for how to have these conversations in your personal and professional lives. CHOC’s own blog has an extensive article offering advice.
