Healthcare professionals can counsel parents and other adult caregivers about gun-related risks to their children’s health and safety. Specific topics for counseling are tied to the child’s developmental milestones. For example, counseling related to infants and younger children focuses on gun safety to prevent accidental injury, while counseling related to teens and young adults may focus on the prevention of suicide and criminal or delinquent behavior involving guns. Addressing gun-related risks at a developmentally appropriate level can help to prevent accidental injuries, suicide, and other gun-involved behaviors including mass shootings and non-fatal shootings.
Specific programs and implementation sites:
- Varies by provider
Helpful resources and citations:
- Counseling on gun safety in the home, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Prevention gun violence: the role of family physicians, American Family Physicians
Primary implementing agency:
- Healthcare providers
Potential partnering agencies:
- No partners required
Links to evaluation evidence:
PSN Pillars
Prevention and Intervention