State begins pilot firearm safety program in ERs

ALBANY | Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of a first-in-the-nation pilot program to integrate firearm access and injury risk screening into emergency department visits, a proactive approach designed to prevent violence before it occurs. A $1.5 million investment from the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention will expand the Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention (FIMP) initiative created by Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention, to Buffalo, Rochester and the Bronx, equipping health care providers with tools to assess firearm injury risk and connect patients with safety resources and interventions. The Governor also highlighted the State's ongoing efforts to promote safe firearm storage through a statewide gun lock initiative. "New York is leading the way with proactive, commonsense strategies to prevent gun violence and save lives," Gov. Hochul said. "This pilot gives health care providers new tools to identify risk and connect people with support, while our gun lock initiative is helping families safely store firearms and protect their loved ones." The $1.5 million will allow Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention to provide training, technical assistance, coordination and support to the three participating providers: Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, and SBH Health System in the Bronx. The program integrates voluntary firearm injury risk screening into emergency department visits for patients who are 12 and older, regardless of the reason for their visit. The screening is brief, confidential, and incorporated into existing clinical workflows. Patients who screen positive will be offered resources such as gun locks, secure storage guidance, lethal means counseling, extreme risk protection order support, referrals to community-based violence prevention programs, behavioral health and victim services. This effort represents a shift toward primary prevention by identifying risk factors before harm occurs. Currently, most hospitals do not conduct routine screening for firearm injury risk, limiting opportunities for early intervention. Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, "Prevention is key to building safer communities. By partnering with our health care systems to identify risk earlier and expand access to safety resources, we are taking meaningful steps to reduce harm and protect New Yorkers." In addition to announcing the pilot, Gov. Hochul detailed results of a statewide gun lock distribution initiative to promote safe firearm storage and reduce accidental shootings, suicides and unauthorized access to firearms. Led by the State's Office of Gun Violence Prevention, community-based organizations, law enforcement agencies and service providers received 14,750 gun locks and more than 22,000 educational brochures outlining safe storage practices, including keeping firearms locked, unloaded and stored separately from ammunition. These partner organizations are hosting community events and outreach efforts to distribute gun locks locally, building on related efforts led by the State's Office of Children and Family Services, which distributed nearly 10,000 gun locks last year to help protect children and families. Safe storage is one of the most effective ways to prevent firearm injuries, particularly among children and individuals in crisis. The initiative builds on the State's ongoing efforts to promote responsible gun ownership and provide New Yorkers with the tools and information they need to prevent tragedy. Gov. Hochul has made reducing gun violence a top priority, securing record investments in prevention, intervention and enforcement strategies, and supporting innovative programs that address risk factors, strengthen communities and save lives. New Yorkers can learn more about safe gun storage and firearm safety at the Gun Safety in NYS webpage. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention is part of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, which provides critical support to all facets of the state's criminal justice system. Its responsibilities including, but are not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy.

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State begins pilot firearm safety program in ERs

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