Can a Hospital Help Prevent Gun Violence?

We all hear the stories about gun violence. They are terrifying and heartbreaking at the same time. That’s why Brian Stork, MD, gathered a team together in Muskegon to do something about it.

“I’m a urologist, but I kept getting called into the Emergency Department to treat teens with gunshot wounds,” Dr. Stork recalls. “I wanted to know why this was happening, and how often. So I worked with colleagues Dr. Christopher Matson and Dr. Ryan Kaylor to pull the data together. What we found was stunning. Young Black men received the majority of firearm injuries. Almost 70% of those injuries involved attempted murder or bodily harm, while 25% were self-inflected or accidental.”

The report caught the attention of Holly Alway, an Injury Prevention Coordinator at Trinity Health Muskegon. “Interpersonal violence is always one of the top five causes of injury to teens,” she said. “In the summer, it’s one of the top three. I had learned about an evidence-based violence prevention program called SafERteens that was running in Flint with great success, so I reached out to learn more.”

The timing was perfect. Dr. Carter, Co-Director of the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, was writing a grant proposal to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that would fund additional pilot sites for this program.

Trinity Health Muskegon launched SafERteens on May 1, 2023, at the Trinity Health Emergency Center - Muskegon, with four other sites planned to go live later this year. All the training and support materials are provided through the CDC grant. The pilot will help healthcare systems understand the support processes and ramp-up needed to provide an effective intervention program that reduces teen gun violence.

What is the Intervention?

The intervention itself is simple. When a teen comes to the ED for any reason, he or she is asked three screening questions. Those questions help identify the chances of that person being involved in violent behavior. If the screening shows a high likelihood of violence, a social worker comes and talks with the teen about his or her future goals and how violence might get in the way. The social worker also helps connect the teen to community resources like Boys & Girls Club, Taking Back Muskegon, and more.

"The researchers who designed this program found that kids don’t feel like they are being heard,” said Dr. Stork. “This intervention provides them with an open forum to talk about their life choices. Surprisingly enough, the research shows that kids are willing to talk to a stranger in the ED. And it does help!” Holly Alway agrees. “The program in Flint showed positive results in the first year, and it’s not just a reduction in firearm-related injuries," she said. "The data shows reductions in assault, drug use, and many other risky behaviors.”

A Community-Based Approach

Trinity Health Muskegon has worked closely with many community organizations, including the Muskegon Social Justice Commission, to get this program going. “Youth violence is a community-wide challenge,” said Holly. “No single entity or program can fix it. The grant from the CDC is a gift to this community, but it’s just one part of the solution. We need to reach kids in schools. We need to reach kids throughout the health care system. And we need to help spread the word about safe firearms storage. We’re taking a layered approach to implementation.”

What can community members do to help?

“Kids need positive role models and ways to engage in positive development,” Holly said. “The single most important thing you can do to prevent teen violence is to volunteer at a community organization that supports teens. And the second most important thing you can do is practice safe gun storage. Most gun owners don’t get any education about gun safety. You wouldn’t jump out of a plane without learning how to use your parachute! The same should be true for guns. Learn about safety. Talk to your kids about safety. And make sure any firearms are securely locked up. Together, we can make our community a safer place.”

Download 'A Parent's Guide to Home Firearm Safety to learn more.

If you have a firearm, you can usually obtain a free cable lock from your local police department or contact Holly Alway at alwayh@trinity-health.org or 231-672-4910.