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Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention
About the Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention

About the Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention

In 2019 and 2022, over 45 major medical and public health organizations came together for the Medical Summits on Firearm Injury Prevention. The goal was to develop a consensus-based, non-partisan, public health approach to firearm-related violence impacting communities across the U.S. The 2022 summit was co-hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), American College of Physicians (ACP), American College of Surgeons (ACS), and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS). Following the 2022 summit, these organizations expressed a desire to continue this work by establishing an infrastructure to support this coalition. The purpose of this document is to outline a framework for the coalition and a vision for its structure and function. 

Mission

The mission of the HCFIP is to reduce the rate of firearm injury across the US via a nonpartisan, public health approach. The coalition seeks to support medical professionals, hospitals, and healthcare systems in the implementation of firearm injury prevention initiatives and to advocate for policies that make communities safer.

Founding Members

The Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention (HCFIP) is a multidisciplinary coalition of medical and public health professional organizations co-led by the following five organizations.

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Pediatrics

American College of Emergency Physicians

American College of Emergency Physicians

American College of Physicians

American College of Physicians

American College of Surgeons

American College of Surgeons

Council of Medical Specialty Societies

Council of Medical Specialty Societies

How the HCFIP Was Formed

The HCFIP was created as a result of the convening of two Medical Summits on Firearm Injury Prevention.

Inaugural Summit

The inaugural summit was hosted by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in 2019 in which 45 major medical and public health organizations came together with the following objectives:

  1. Identify opportunities for the medical community to reach a consensus-based, non-partisan approach to firearm injury prevention
  2. Discuss the key components of a public health approach and define interventions this group will support
  3. Develop consensus on actionable items for firearm injury prevention using the public health framework.

Read the Proceedings from the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention: A Public Health Approach to Reduce Death and Disability in the US.

Second Summit

The second summit was co-hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, American College of Surgeons, and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies in 2022.

The objectives of this summit were to:

  1. Use a consensus-based, nonpartisan approach to selecting recommendations for executive action and/or legislation at the federal, state, and municipal levels that would decrease firearm-related injuries.
  2. Identify elements of the most effective programs that can be implemented by physician practices, clinics, hospitals, and health systems in partnership with their communities to effectively lower the risk of violence, with emphasis on marginalized communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence.

Following the 2022 summit, the participating organizations expressed a desire to continue this work by establishing a coalition.

Read the Proceedings from the Second Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention, 2022: Creating a Sustainable Healthcare Coalition to Advance a Multidisciplinary Public Health Approach