Intermountain Health Joins Initiative to Curb Impact of Firearm Injuries and Deaths on America’s Youth
For three consecutive years, firearm injuries have been the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States. Earlier this week, the Ad Council, in partnership with Intermountain Health and a coalition of health care and business leaders announced a major new social impact program to address the impact the crisis is having on youth in our country.
This new initiative, which brings together health care and business, provides people with tangible actions that can help decrease the impact of gun-related tragedies on children and teens in the United States.
While many may believe that there are limited opportunities for alignment on solutions, research shows common ground exists, especially around the impact of firearm injury on children and teens.
This first-of-its-kind effort, “Agree to Agree,” comprehensively addresses the issue by building on shared beliefs to address the full spectrum of the impact on children and teens in the United States, inclusive of firearm suicides, intentional and unintentional shootings.
By convening partners across the advertising, business, health care, marketing, media and tech industries, the coalition led by the Ad Council aims to create meaningful change, complementing the longstanding efforts of Intermountain Health on the issue.
The impact of firearm injuries on children and teens is a national crisis, one that affects the lives of residents across the Intermountain West.
In an effort to protect the communities it serves, Intermountain Health is supporting this nation-wide initiative and working to make an impact locally, including the distribution of nearly 67,000 free firearm locks since 2019, helping the community put time and distance between a person in a moment of crisis and lethal means, and increasing access to mental health resources.
“Preventing firearm injuries remains a top Intermountain Health focus, working in partnership with the communities we serve,” said Rob Allen, president and chief executive officer of Intermountain Health. “Over the past year, Intermountain caregivers have done extensive work in the areas of suicide prevention and gun safety. By raising awareness and offering training and resources, we help to both save lives and remove the stigma around conversations on gun safety and mental health. We, too, have found that there are many people in our communities who agree with our stance on this important work.”
The "Agree to Agree” campaign is based in the common ground Americans share, raising awareness of the fact that everyone — both gun owners and non-gun owners — can agree that firearms shouldn’t be the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country.
The series of PSAs include one for parents and those with children and youth in their lives, showcasing real kids uniting to help adults recognize that children and teens should be protected from firearm violence. The PSA directs viewers to AgreeToAgree.org where individuals can learn about the issue and how they can take action in their homes and communities to prevent firearm injury and death.
Another PSA in the series features health care professionals speaking directly to other clinicians on the unique role they hold to help prevent firearm injuries through collaborative conversations with their patients. The video instructs health care professionals to visit AgreeToAgree.org/HealthCare for resources on how to have supportive dialogue with families.
For more information on the “Agree to Agree” effort and to access resources such as conversation guides and shareable graphics that educate and empower audiences to take individual steps to protect communities and children, visit AgreeToAgree.org.
To learn more about Intermountain Health, visit IntermountainHealthCare.org.
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